SEARCH FOR CAPSIZED DRAGON BOAT VICTIMS CALLED OFF UNTIL MONDAY MORNING

PENANG (Malaysia), Jan 18 (Bernama) -- The search and rescue (SAR)
operation for four more victims of a capsized dragon boat here was called off
Sunday evening and will resume at 8am Monday.

State Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Mohd Razam Tajarahim said
its scuba-diving unit had to stop the SAR operation at 7pm Sunday as it was
getting dark.

"The operation will continue Monday morning with the participation of a
scuba-diving team from Kedah which arrived here Sunday evening.

"We will also have three more boats for the SAR operation, bringing the
number to eight Monday," he said.

On Jan 17's operation at sea as well as using aircraft involved 60 members
of the security forces.

In the 8.45am incident Sunday, the dragon boat carrying 18 people were hit
by strong waves and capsized about 100 metres from the beach at Macallum Street,
in Penang, a northern state in Peninsular Malaysia.

The bodies of student Jason Ch'ng, 17, and teacher Chin Ai Fang, who
drowned, had been found while four other students, Brandon Yeoh, Koh Yiz Hiang
and Cheah Zi Jun, all 17, and Yong Xiang, 16, are still missing.

They were dragon boat rowers from Chung Ling High School Air Itam who were
undergoing weekend training to prepare themselves for the Penang International
Dragon Boat Race to held in the middle of this year.

The school's 18-member dragon boat rowing team comprises a teacher (Chin),
two coaches and 15 students.

Mohd Razam said his department would discuss with the local fishermen's
association to help find the missing victims.

It is understood that members of the security forces are also patrolling the
area round the clock in the search for the victims.

-- BERNAMA