Singaporeans who’re currently deprived of overseas travel options might decide to venture to our southern islands for some recreation.
While Lazarus Island and Kusu Island may seem like idyllic spots, do beware before indulging in some swimming.
1 man is reportedly in hospital and another is missing after a near-drowning incident in the waters around the islands.
Search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
In a statement to MS News, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they received a call for assistance at about 2.40pm on Saturday (12 Feb).
They dispatched 3 marine vessels to a location near Kusu Island, where 2 people were involved in “an incident”.
The 2 men had gone swimming in the sea between Kusu and Lazarus islands on Saturday, Lianhe Zaobao quoted an unnamed eyewitness as saying.
Before SCDF arrived, 1 person had already been rescued by a civilian vessel.
According to The Straits Times (ST), a Spanish national who’d been having a picnic on Kusu Island saved a 28-year-old man from the waters.
He was sent to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), the SCDF said.
Another eyewitness named Weide, 34, told Zaobao he heard that the Police Coast Guard (PCG) had rescued a person off the waters of Kusu Island.
He saw a PCG vessel ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove at about 3pm on Saturday.
Weide, who is the founder of the Singapore Marine Guide Facebook page, a resource for water sports enthusiasts, also heard that 1 person was missing.
The waves in the area are very strong, he said, and swimmers who go into the water without precautions can get into trouble easily.
Unfortunately, this story may not end well.
“Search efforts are still ongoing to locate the remaining person,” SCDF said.
According to ST, the missing person is a 24-year-old man.
The SCDF and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) had dispatched patrol and rescue boats for the operation, Zaobao reported.
Weide said 2 ships from the SCDF and MPA had barred other ships from entering the straits.
Singapore Marine Guide also warned boaters via Facebook to avoid the area till further notice.
Apparently, several vessels are scouring the islands for the missing man.
MS News has reached out to the police over this incident, and will add to this article if they have any updates.
As Singapore is made up of many islands, swimming is a cheap and fun leisure activity.
However, we should always take the necessary precautions when swimming, and avoid places with strong currents if you’re not a strong swimmer.
Hopefully, the missing man will be found soon.
MS News wishes the man in hospital a quick recovery.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Singapore Marine Guide on Facebook.
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