In a somber incident, the body of a missing kayaker, a 33-year-old woman, was discovered in the waters off Sentosa, leaving a community of kayaking enthusiasts and local authorities in mourning.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) located and retrieved the kayaker’s body at 3pm on Tuesday, marking the end of a two-day search operation.
The victim had set out on a kayaking adventure on Sunday morning, Oct. 22, in the company of two fellow enthusiasts, aiming to explore the picturesque waters stretching from Sentosa to the Southern Islands. The identity of the kayaker has been confirmed by the police, who have requested that her name not be disclosed at this time.
Details of the tragic incident emerged as part of ongoing investigations into the kayaker’s disappearance. According to eyewitness accounts, the group of three kayakers was unexpectedly joined by a fourth individual on the water.
Sim Cher Huey, founder of Kayakasia and one of those who contributed to the search efforts, offered insights into the unfortunate sequence of events. He revealed to CNA that the disaster struck between 9:30am and 10am, near a line of blue floating security barriers—a challenging area where dynamic currents met stationary obstacles. As the group navigated these treacherous waters, two kayakers, a man and the missing woman, capsized.
“It happened at this particularly tricky place where the currents, the moving water, meet these stationary barriers,” he said.
When the male kayaker capsized, the woman went to help but ran into trouble herself. “Both were swept under by currents,” Sim said.
Meanwhile, authorities involved in the search were quick to state that they do not suspect foul play in connection with the tragic incident, but their investigations are still ongoing.
