Man's hope to cuddle first born dashed when wife dies in boat tragedy

A man's hope to cuddle his first born child was shattered after his seven-months pregnant wife drowned when the boat they were travelling in capsized off Batu Layar, Sungai Rengit, Kota Tinggi, on Saturday night.

Moses Dacosta,27, was among 34 illegal Indonesian immigrants who survived the boat tragedy while his wife, Yolanda Serang, 22, was among the first few drowning victims found.

Recalling the anxious moment, Dacosta said they were about 1,000 metres from the shore when the boat's engine ceased functioning and the boat could no longer withstand the strong waves.

"My wife could not be saved though all the while we were holding on to each other in the boat. It was a nightmare as we only got married a year ago and were planning to celebrate the birth of our first child at home in Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia)," he said when met at Setia Tropika (Home Ministry Complex), here yesterday.

Dacosta said some of the passengers were too panic-stricken to cling onto the boat and they were swept away by strong currents.

Another victim, Mohd Yusof, 52, said he paid RM1,200 for the trip, thinking that it would be a safe journey but was disappointed to find the boat unstable as it was overloaded and carrying about 60 passengers.

In Kota Tinggi, Bandar Penawar Fire and Rescue Department senior operations officer I, Mohamad Nordin Sidek, said a post-mortem confirmed the body found early yesterday was that of a heavily pregnant woman.

"Another body was found lying about two kilometres from the shore at about 4pm Sunday," he said, adding that so far eight bodies have been found.

The search and rescue operation is focusing on areas lying along two kilometres off Batu Layar beach.