The body of a five-year-old child that went missing on Saturday evening was discovered yesterday morning with fishing strings entangled around his body.
The boy went missing following a dinghy mishap near Yalau beach, in Rai Coast district.
According to a youth from Bobidik, who was part of the search party, the child was still carrying his father’s bilum around his neck, containing his father’s wallet and bank card.
The other victim, a two-month-old baby, is still missing.
One of the passengers of the motorised dinghy, who requested anonymity, said the 5-year-old was on his mother’s lap when a huge wave hit them, throwing him off the boat; the huge returning wave lifted the whole boat up then turned it upside down.
According to police officers based at the Basamuk rural police station, the boat left Madang at around 4pm, destined for an area near Gawar when it ran out of fuel as it was reaching the shores.
Locals from the area had reported that the dinghy ran out of fuel as it was approaching the mouth of the Gawar River. A passenger jumped out to pull the boat to shore. However, waves caused by the outflowing Gawar River and the ocean current tilted the boat and capsized it.
Visibility was poor at the time of the incident as it was already dusk.
Captain of Ramu NiCo work ferry, Charles Buai, who usually assists stranded boats using the Astrolabe Bay, said it was a very sad situation.
Local boats had been warned many times to carry extra fuel containers when travelling late, or have paddles on board, he said.
Buai called on the Madang provincial maritime authorities to establish an office to look at the small craft laws instituted by the PNG Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA).
Police at Basamuk have apprehended the owner of the motorised dinghy and its skipper for questioning while search for the baby continues.
(Picture: 123RF.com)