The unfortunate demise of a Police Coast Guard (PCG) trainer, who fell into the water and was struck by the propeller of a safety craft, was the result of multiple safety lapses, according to Coroner Christopher Goh in his report dated June 21, who ruled his death an unfortunate misadventure.

Mr Ong Siang Thai, the supervisor of a dive training session held at the PCG headquarters in Brani Base, encountered a tragic incident on July 20, 2022, around 11 am. He was in the process of preparing the safety craft and loading diving equipment onto it while the trainees were getting ready with their dive gear nearby.

During this time, Mr Ong’s colleague, Mr Melvin Tan, observed him in a half-squat position as he started the engine of the safety craft. The coroner acknowledged that this position compromised balance compared to sitting, but it was ultimately the responsibility of the person steering the boat.

At a certain point, the engine was over-revved, causing the craft to jerk. As a result, Mr Ong lost his balance and fell backwards into the water, as witnessed by Mr Tan. The CCTV footage also confirmed that the craft collided with a pontoon wall and circled back towards Mr Ong. He was seen swimming towards the approaching craft, which tragically ran over him.

Hearing the engine revving loudly and Mr Tan’s cry for help, the trainees quickly responded and found Mr Ong in the safety craft with a body floating nearby. Several officers jumped into the water and discovered Mr Ong trapped by the boat’s propeller. They used a knife, which was found on Mr Ong, to free him. Although he was still breathing, he had suffered multiple wounds on his body.

The officers brought Mr Ong to the hangar after retrieving him from the water. A medic, who happened to be undergoing a different course nearby, attempted to revive him. Mr Ong had deep cuts extending from his mouth to his neck, along with numerous cuts on his chest.

Around 11:30 am, the police were informed, and an ambulance from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived shortly afterwards. Unfortunately, Mr Ong had already stopped breathing, and there was no detectable pulse. His skin felt cool to the touch. The SCDF paramedic pronounced him dead at approximately 11:45 am.

An autopsy conducted the following day revealed that Mr Ong’s cause of death was haemorrhage from the chest and facial injuries, compounded by drowning.

Coroner Goh emphasized Mr Ong’s extensive diving experience, having served in the Singapore Armed Forces and the Naval Diving Unit throughout his career. At the time of the incident, Mr Ong was employed by Citadelle, a consultancy services and training firm responsible for providing dive training to PCG trainees.

The coroner clarified that foul play was not suspected in Mr Ong’s death, and investigations by both the police and the Ministry of Manpower concluded that several safety oversights likely contributed to the incident.

One such oversight was Mr Ong’s failure to attach a kill cord to himself. These cords are designed to deactivate a boat’s engine when the pilot becomes separated from the vessel, as advised by boating websites.

Coroner Goh agreed with the findings of the investigating agencies. He emphasized that the danger of not using the kill cord was particularly pronounced in enclosed spaces, where there was a higher likelihood of the craft colliding with a person in the water. Additionally, he noted that Mr Ong was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.

A staggering jackpot prize of S$11.6 million was up for grabs in the recent TOTO draw on June 29, after accumulating over four consecutive draws.

Unfortunately, there were no Group 1 winners for this draw, resulting in the jackpot prize being split among 12 lucky Group 2 winners, each taking home more than S$1 million.

Out of the 12 winning tickets, five were QuickPick Ordinary entries, which only cost S$1 each. This goes to show that even a small investment can lead to a life-changing windfall.

The absence of Group 1 winners in the TOTO draw leading up to Hari Raya Haji (June 29) meant that the jackpot continued to grow.

Despite the anticipation, luck was not on the side of any Group 1 participant in the most recent draw. Consequently, the Group 1 prize snowballed to an impressive S$11,653,654.

According to the TOTO rules, if there are no jackpot winners for four consecutive draws, the Group 1 prize pool is distributed among the Group 2 winners.

Therefore, the 12 Group 2 winners had the fortune of sharing the combined prize of the Group 1 jackpot and the Group 2 prize pool, with each winner taking home an impressive sum of $1,074,777.

Among the 12 Group 2 winners, five of them chose the QuickPick Ordinary option, spending just S$1 for their tickets.

In addition to those, there were three System 8 winners and two System 7 winners. The remaining two winners had System 12 entries, one of which had a cost of S$924.

Interestingly, two of the Group 2 winners purchased their winning tickets from outlets located along Whampoa Drive. These outlets include the Singapore Pools Whampoa Drive Branch at Block 88 and Hin Teck Leong Trading Company at Block 74.

Furthermore, another fortunate winner acquired their winning ticket for a unit of the System 12 entry from the renowned Delisia Agency in the Fu Lu Shou complex.

The recent TOTO draw may not have produced any Group 1 winners, but the 12 fortunate Group 2 winners have undoubtedly experienced a life-changing event. This serves as a reminder that with a little luck and the right combination of numbers, dreams can become a reality.

The residents living in Terrasse Condo in Hougang, discovered a group of at least 6 people inside their compound fishing at a pond on 16 June.

Someone said that the public could come and catch fish for free

According to a resident named Lin, who spoke to Shin Min Daily News, the group arrived at the development around noon, equipped with fishing gear. Their fishing activity lasted for about two hours, prompted by an online post made by another condo resident stating that the public was welcome to catch fish for free due to an alleged pond clearance by the condominium management.

Upon being alerted by concerned residents, security guards promptly intervened to halt the unauthorized fishing operation.

Residents expressed their disagreement with the removal of the fish. Lin emphasized that the community had been feeding the pond’s fish for many years, emphasizing that no one had the authority to permit public access for fishing purposes within the condominium premises.

Lin further remarked that the lack of notification from the management about the pond clearance was a concern, as allowing unrestricted entry to the condo could potentially jeopardize the environment and safety of the residents.

Another female resident supported the presence of the fish, highlighting their aesthetic value and their contribution to controlling the mosquito population by consuming their eggs.

Condo responds

The condominium management, represented by manager Chen, responded to the incident by stating that the company had not authorized anyone to share information online regarding the alleged pond clearance.

Chen asserted that the management had never allowed public access for fishing within the development. Initially, the pond was solely intended as a viewing pond and did not house any fish until residents introduced ornamental fish, including koi and turtles.

Currently, the condominium management has decided against removing the fish from the pond. However, residents are prohibited from releasing additional fish into the pond.

Chen clarified that investigations into the resident responsible for sharing the information online are ongoing and declined to provide further details at this time.

In the early hours of May 13, 2022, tragedy struck a Housing Board flat in Bedok North, Singapore. A fire erupted, claiming the lives of three individuals: three-year-old Tan Hui En, her father Tan Soon Keong, and their flatmate Chan Ai Lin Aileen.

During the opening of the coroner’s inquiry earlier today (30 June), it was revealed that the fire was likely ignited by a lit cigarette. The cigarette had been left behind by Ms. Chan’s boyfriend, referred to as Mr. Ithnin in court.

Allegedly, Mr. Ithnin had placed the cigarette on a cardboard box beside a recliner before leaving the flat for work at approximately 5 am. Later, he remembered the cigarette and sent voice messages to Ms. Chan, asking her to dispose of it.

Although Ms. Chan indicated that she had disposed of the cigarette, the fire investigator on the case explained that there might have been “some heat exchange” when the burning tip of the cigarette came into contact with the cardboard.

Under specific conditions, such as ventilation and fuel, the heat can continue to be generated. This process, known as smouldering, may not immediately result in visible flames but can cause the materials to slowly burn over time.

The investigation highlighted the cluttered nature of the flat, with cardboard boxes, wood pieces, and combustible furniture items in the living room. Such an environment provided ample fuel for the fire to spread rapidly.

The presence of combustible materials increased the risk and intensity of the blaze, making it more difficult for the occupants to escape.

After identifying the likely area of the fire’s origin, investigators ruled out other potential causes, including electric appliances and a ceiling light. These items were found to be in good working condition, further reinforcing the likelihood of the cigarette as the ignition source.

Tragically, the fire claimed the lives of three individuals. The three-year-old toddler, Tan Hui En, died in the hospital due to inhaling fire fumes, along with evidence of thermal and possible chemical injury to her airway and lungs.

Her father, Tan Soon Keong, also succumbed to inhalation of fire fumes. Additionally, Ms. Chan, their flatmate, suffered extensive burns and inhalation of fire fumes, leading to her tragic demise.

The sole survivor of the fire, the late Mr. Tan’s wife and mother of the toddler, remains in critical condition in a hospital in Malaysia. She has been left in a vegetative state, and it is unlikely that she will regain a normal life.

The police investigation concluded that there was no foul play involved in the incident. Mr. Ithnin expressed remorse and stated that he would have returned to the flat to remove the cigarette if Ms. Chan had not replied to his messages. The evidence suggested that it was an unfortunate accident resulting from the cigarette left behind.

The coroner will be returning at an undetermined date to provide his findings on the case.

In a significant operation carried out on Tuesday, authorities successfully rescued over 2,000 workers, including at least 4 Singaporeans, from alleged human traffickers operating in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub located in Las Piñas City, according to a report by The Straits Times.

The raid, conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP), aimed to dismantle the illegal activities and provide immediate assistance to the victims involved.

According to the PNP, out of the rescued individuals, 1,525 were Filipinos, while the rest hailed from countries such as China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan, and Singapore, among others.

This extensive operation was initiated after the PNP’s anti-cybercrime group obtained a search warrant to investigate the POGO complex, seize relevant computer data, and uncover potential violations of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

A spokesperson of PNP-Anti-Cybercrime Group, PCapt Michelle Sabino, revealed that the victims were working for an online casino for 12 hours a day, working from afternoon to midnight.

Only a limited number of workers were allowed to leave the premises, with strict restrictions imposed on those lacking necessary documents.

It was also noted that the POGO complex provided accommodation and boarding facilities for the workers.

During the investigation, it was discovered that Chinese nationals received the highest salaries, amounting to approximately ₱40,000 per month, while workers from other countries, including Filipinos, were paid a monthly salary of ₱24,000.

Authorities also found evidence indicating that the victims were recruited through online job postings. The allure of employment opportunities in the online gaming industry attracted these individuals, unaware of the exploitation they would eventually face.

In addition to the rescue operation, authorities are now focusing on determining if the POGO workers were involved in love scams or cryptocurrency scams. The investigation aims to uncover any potential connections or illegal activities beyond human trafficking.

The Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that their embassy in Manila is in contact with the Filipino authorities and has reached out to the affected Singaporeans to provide help.

They also thanked the Philippine authorities for their efforts.