Two schoolchildren injured, 23 escape unhurt as jetty collapses

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Teachers had to jump into the sea to save students who fell into the sea after the village pier collapsed in an incident in Kampung Pababag, Semporna.
SEMPORNA - Two students were injured, while 23 others escaped unhurt after the village pier they were gathered at to board a boat here collapsed into sea.

The students, all from Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Pababag here, were on their way to school when the incident happened at 6.45am today.

Sabah School Management Sector Deputy Education Director Abidin Marjan confirmed the incident saying that the collapsed pier happened suddenly as the students were waiting to board a boat to school.

"The jetty collapsed when the students were boarding. It is the main jetty used to get to the school.

"A total of 20 school students were involved, five more students from Tabika Kemas and three teachers also jumped in to save the students. Two students suffered minor injuries on their lips and hands due to being hit by wood and the cement of the collapsed pier," he said in a statement on Monday.

He also said that the two injured students were sent home after assessing the extent of their injuries.

"So far there have been no serious injuries and the students have been sent home to their parents," he said.

Meanwhile, the Sulabayan Community Development Unit leader Abdul Manan Danan said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has agreed to allocate funds to rebuild the collapsed jetty.

"I have informed him of this matter, so the allocation will be channeled immediately," he said.

A 90-second video of the incident went viral on social media.