A deadly storm killed three people when their tourist boat flipped over near Pulau Perhentian on Saturday night. The weather turned nasty around 9pm just as families wanted to head back from a fire show on the smaller island. Local leader Nik Zawawi said the boat driver warned everyone about dangerous conditions. The passengers refused to wait and demanded to return to their resort anyway. Many other tourists stayed put until the bad weather passed.
The small boat carried 15 people across four kilometers of choppy water that usually takes ten minutes to cross. Massive waves smashed the vessel just meters from their destination around 10:30 that evening. Father Arumugam died with his three-year-old daughter Sarrvihka and ten-year-old relative Vennpani. A six-year-old boy fights for his life at the hospital after the accident. The families had traveled from Penang and Kedah for their island vacation.
State officials plan tough new rules for boat operators after this tragedy. Tourism minister Razali Idris wants to suspend licenses for careless captains who break safety rules. The government counts 628 licensed boat operators across all island destinations. Tourist boats cannot legally run at night under current marine department rules. Island residents use water taxis around the clock because no roads connect different parts of the area.
The small boat carried 15 people across four kilometers of choppy water that usually takes ten minutes to cross. Massive waves smashed the vessel just meters from their destination around 10:30 that evening. Father Arumugam died with his three-year-old daughter Sarrvihka and ten-year-old relative Vennpani. A six-year-old boy fights for his life at the hospital after the accident. The families had traveled from Penang and Kedah for their island vacation.
State officials plan tough new rules for boat operators after this tragedy. Tourism minister Razali Idris wants to suspend licenses for careless captains who break safety rules. The government counts 628 licensed boat operators across all island destinations. Tourist boats cannot legally run at night under current marine department rules. Island residents use water taxis around the clock because no roads connect different parts of the area.
