KOTA KINABALU: Two children were found dead while one remains missing after a boat capsized in the Tawau district on Saturday (Jan 1) evening.

       The three siblings, aged between 12 and 14 years old, were with six others on a small boat that was travelling from Batu 4 Kg Rawa-Rawa to Kg Batu Payung when the incident occurred at about 4.30pm.

       State Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Misran Bisara said the nine victims were headed to Kg Batu Payung but had to make a U-turn for some matters prior to the incident.

       "The boat capsized halfway back," he said.

       He added that six of the victims were rescued by coastal villagers nearby.

       He said three siblings - Jaidi, 5, Saiful, 15 and Rahena Muhaimin, 20, were missing after the incident.

       The bodies of two of the siblings - Saiful and Jaidi - were found early Sunday (Jan 2) and were pronounced dead by medical officials on site.

       The search for the last victim continues.

       The weather in Tawau was fine when the incident occurred and authorities are investigating the cause of the capsize.