Following extensive investigations into the Singapore River bumboat fire and the subsequent death of the boatman, State Coroner Marvin Bay declared that the case will remain an unsolved mystery.
Unable to determine if 32-year-old Singapore River Cruise employee Ong Hock Long drowned from a suicide attempt or a drug-induced psychosis, Coroner Bay declared an open verdict on his death yesterday, TODAY reports.
Last June, the entirety of Marina Bay was treated to a rare view along the Singapore River, where Ong’s bumboat went up in flames. He went missing during the fire, and his body was located in the waters off Esplanade Theatre the next evening.
Further investigations revealed that a blaze that huge could only be started if Ong had deliberately piled up life-jackets and set them all alight. A toxicology report confirmed traces of alcohol, amphetamines and methamphetamines in Ong’s blood. It was also revealed that Ong had financial woes as well.
Coroner Bay determined that Ong had been in a “deeply troubled mental state” in the weeks leading up to his death — he was uncharacteristically quiet and uncommunicative.
Though the circumstances pointed to suicide, the side effects of methamphetamine abuse could also be the cause of death. Ong showed signs of “disturbing delusions” when he lied about having cancer to his colleagues — among other notions such as seeing things.
“Where the possibility was that Mr Ong might have been motivated by a transient state of drug-induced psychosis to commit acts which were likely to endanger his life, without actually intending to commit suicide, it would only be appropriate for me to record an open verdict in this case,” said Coroner Bay.
