Missing at sea from
The Straits Time 5 july 2008Sailing-boat trainee skipper falls overboard
WIDESPREAD HUNT: An air and sea search was underway near the Causeway. Mr Angsana, who was not wearing a life jacket, fell overboard as his boat was heading back to Raffles Marina.
AN UNDERGRADUATE in training to become the skipper of a sailing boat fell off his vessel into the choppy waters off Raffles Marina on Thursday and is still missing.
A massive hunt involving about 10 boats from the Police Coast Guard, the Maritime & Port Authority and Raffles Marina, as well as Republic of Singapore Navy divers, is now on for Levin Angsana (right), 23, in the seas off Tuas.
Malaysian marine police have also been asked to keep an eye out for him.
Mr Angsana went overboard as his boat was heading back to the marina following a three-hour training session on Thursday afternoon.
He had been reaching over to try to retrieve the boat's sail, which had been caught by a gust of wind and had ended up in the water.
One of his crewmates, national sailor Renfred Tay, 23, jumped in after him and managed to grab him, but Mr Angsana apparently kept struggling. When Mr Tay left him momentarily to fetch a life jacket some distance away, he went under.
NO LIFE JACKET
'He wasn't treading water very well although he looked normal.'
CREW MEMBER KOH ZIYI, of Mr Angsana moments before another crew member, Mr Tay, dived in to attempt a rescue
He was not wearing a life jacket although there were several on board. According to his crewmates, he was not a very good swimmer.
Of the moments before Mr Tay dived in to attempt a rescue, crew member Koh Ziyi said: 'He wasn't treading water very well although he looked normal.'
The accident is certain to reignite debate over whether those taking part in water sports should wear life jackets when on the water.
The debate started in late May when a report into last November's dragon boat tragedy in Cambodia, which left five national rowers dead, highlighted the fact that they had not been wearing life jackets.
Sailing experts contacted yesterday said wearing life jackets can be dangerous as they can obstruct sailors' movements.
But the chairman of the National Water Safety Council, MP Teo Ho Pin, dismissed this, warning that 'water has no mercy'.
Meanwhile, the young man's anxious parents, relatives, friends, and team-mates from the university sailing team are keeping vigil at the marina.
Mr Angsana is an information systems student at the Singapore Management University (SMU). A permanent resident originally from Indonesia, he is known to have previously earned a diploma from Singapore Polytechnic.
It is not known how long he has been here, although he and a 20-year-old sister have been living with an aunt in the western part of the island.
He took up sailing last year and joined the school team.
Seventeen students were out in three boats on Thursday, preparing for the Western Circuit Sailing Regatta, a competition in August.
SMU president Howard Hunter said: 'I know it will be a shock to his university friends because the school he is in is a particularly small and close-knit group.'
