KOTA KINABALU: Police have arrested the 64-year-old skipper of the boat, which capsized and left five people dead with two still missing in waters off Sabah's east coast Semporna.

       Semporna district police chief Supt Mohd Farhan Lee said that the man was arrested at 12.50pm Friday (April 15) for allegedly causing death by negligence under Section 304a of the Penal Code.

       He said that they would apply to remand the boatman.

       In the incident, the boat ferrying 21 people capsized in waters off Pulau Timbun Mata at about 8.30pm on Thursday (April 14).

       Five victims drowned, comprising two women and three children aged between one and 33, while two other children went missing.

       Fourteen others were rescued by villagers in the area shortly after the boat capsized.

       Search and personnel from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), firemen, Sabah parks rangers and villagers were continuing to search for the two missing victims, a 14-year-old girl identified as Naranis and six-year-old boy identified as Aiman.

       The boat was heading from Kampung Bakung Bakung to Kampung Tandoan at Pulau Timbun Mata about 4km from Semporna.