Dragon Boat Festival represents the culture of the people and the Chinese influence over Singapore’s past. No dragon boat races abroad yet for national team, The information in this article is valid as at. (2007, November 27). The Straits Times, p. 26. Five men are missing after the incident, all members of the new national dragon boat team that was formed about a … Tan, J., & Quek, C. (2007, November 27). The Straits Times, p. 59. As the team approached the pontoon which marked their docking point, their boat suddenly collided sideways with the pontoon due to a strong wave (CNA YouTube video). Read: My first-person account. [12] The Cambodian authorities then organised a search party consisting of more than 200 people to search for the 5 missing Singaporeans, who were sitting at the front of the boat when it capsized. Due to their late arrival, the team did not have time to conduct a practice session before their race. 5 of my teammates didn’t”. , p. 59; Tan, J., & Liaw, W. (2007, November 25). Jacob, P. (2007, December 1). According to the Singapore Navy Chief Pes Lim, all 5 bodies were located near each other --- at the confluence of the Tonle Sap River, Tonle Bassac River and Mekong River.[18]. “‘We will remember forever’: Inside the search for Singapore’s drowned dragonboaters”. J., & Quek, C. (2007, November 26). Assess risks before saying ‘yes’. The Straits Times, p. 29. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.18. Quek, C., & Sloan, B. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.10. THE DRAGONBOAT TRAGEDY. (2007, November 26). Retrieved from NewspaperSG.15. Sloan, Bronwyn. c/o Sport Singapore, 3 Stadium Drive, #01-33 Singapore 397630 Panel named to probe deaths of dragon boaters. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. The Straits Times, p. 44. It would have been about 40 hours since the boat carrying 22 Singapore dragon boat racers capsized in the river on Friday. The dragon boat subsequently overturned and sank.10 The incident occurred at 5.25 pm.11Other boats in the vicinity picked up 12 of the 22 Singapore paddlers shortly after their boat capsized, but 10 team members were sucked into the swirling 10-metre-deep waters under the pontoon, which was bigger than a basketball court. All 3 bodies were found buried under the mud of the riverbed and had to be dredged up. Loh, Sharon. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.2. Vince Natividad, Rachel Montoya, Rose Antonete Supranes, Johan Tan and Maricel Tan were identified as the fatalities in the boat accident. Tan, Esther. The incident involved the Chung Ling High School dragon boat club, where eighteen paddlers took part in dragon boat training at Penang Strait. (2007, November 25). Life jackets must be worn at overseas meets now. Ong, S.F. Mr Paraiso recounted what he saw. 27. The coach, Nasiman Karim, had noticed that the waters of the Tonle Sap looked placid, but that the currents were exceptionally strong.7On the day of the race itself, the team practised paddling in the river for 20 to 30 minutes while wearing life jackets. Bodies of dragon boat paddlers recovered. [22] Then Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan also delivered a eulogy in remembrance of the departed. Lee, H. C., & Jaganathan, J. A dragon boat has capsized in Sitio Tulubhan in Boracay. However, the families of the five paddlers who perished sought an apology from the SBDA for not enforcing the use of life jackets and to bear responsibility for the factors that contributed to the tragedy. On the afternoon of 24 November 2007, an elite eight-man team from Singapore’s Naval Diving Unit joined the search, utilising special sonar equipment to scan the riverbed.15After a 40-hour search, the bodies of the five casualties were found by the Cambodians on the morning of 25 November 2007.16 They were brought to Calmette Hospital, where the bodies were identified by grief-stricken family members who had arrived in Cambodia the evening before.17 The bereaved families returned to Singapore with the bodies of the deceased paddlers on the night of 26 November 2007, after conducting rituals at the site of the tragedy.18MemorialA joint memorial service was held on 29 November 2007 at Mandai Crematorium to mourn the deceased paddlers. Tan, Judith. Then-Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan delivered a eulogy, followed by the victims’ families and friends. [15], On 25 November 2007, the first body was recovered by the search party after nearly 40 hours of combing the river. Our thoughts and condolences go out to all their families, friends and team members at this difficult time. Five missing S’pore rowers feared dead. They narrowed the cause of the incident to a number of contributing factors, which were as follows:[28], The panel then proposed a few preventive measures for the Singapore Dragon Boat Association and their affiliates to consider adopting. [24] The bursary fund was officially launched on 15 October 2008, during the annual NTU Sports Appreciation Night. THE Singapore National Dragon Boat Team that lost five rowers in last November's Cambodian race said the Tonle Sap river in Phnom Penh was the 'most difficult' they had ever encountered. The SDBA and their affiliates should only participate in races that comply with the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) guidelines for race organisation, conduct and safety. After a concerted effort led by the SDBA and its affiliates to recruit members of high potential in 2008, the national dragon boat team was revitalised for competition. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.20. Arlina Arshad. [14] The team arrived at around 3.00pm and was made up of 6 divers, a medic and a mission commander. Cambodia’s Water Festival regarded as top attraction. Five of them managed to resurface at the far end of the pontoon, but the remaining five did not.12The Cambodian authorities later revealed that they had cautioned the participating teams against approaching that pontoon, as the waters around it were susceptible to whirlpools and downward rips. And an annual competitive schedule, the briefing had been carried out in Khmer, the family.! Was last edited on 29 April 2019, at 19:55 you for giving your to... Association ( SDBA ) to take on important management roles, also as... 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