Tragedy struck off the coast between Pik Island and Karaget Island on Sunday, June 31, 2024, when an outboard motorboat capsized, resulting in two confirmed deaths and one individual reported missing. Madang Provincial Police Commander, Acting Superintendent Robert Baim, reported that the incident occurred around 5:00 p.m. in rough seas and police were alerted to the incident around 10:00 p.m. after a survivor reached Karenget Island and notified their families. The survivor's family then contacted authorities, prompting a swift response from the Madang Water Police, ZULU 200, and the Transnational Crime Unit-National Criminal Intelligence Units (TCU-NCIU). They embarked on a search and rescue mission using another civilian boat. Eyewitness accounts confirmed that the white 23-foot dinghy, powered by a 40hp Yamaha engine, capsized due to being overloaded and encountering rough seas. The high tide overwhelmed the boat, forcing the occupants to swim for safety. Several survivors managed to reach Karenget Island and Sair Village. Tragically, two children, aged six and three, were found deceased on Biliah Island. Their mother was rescued by the search team on Karaget Island, but their father remains missing. The search and rescue operation, which began at 10:30 p.m. and concluded at 2:00 a.m. on Monday, July 1, recovered the bodies of the two children. They were transported to Modilon General Hospital, where doctors confirmed their deaths. Other survivors received medical treatment. The boat's occupants were taken to the town police station for interrogation, where they confirmed that overloading and rough seas caused the capsizing. The boat's skipper, Wilbert Buri, 22, of Karenget Island, was taken into custody for his safety and is cooperating with authorities. Buri, who is married with one child, is related to the boat's owner, Mr. Lavi, and has no prior convictions. Meanwhile, search efforts for the missing individual, identified as Laurences Koi of Yenchen Wasara Gawi in East Sepik Province, residing at Govt Store Ward 05 of Madang Urban Local Level Government, are ongoing. Concerned agencies have been notified to remain vigilant for any signs of Koi. Acting Superintendent Robert Baim emphasized the importance of adhering to safety regulations. "It's about time people in all walks of life must seriously consider the importance of life. Life comes once and it's so precious, there's no spare part like artificial machines where we can replace. The simplest thing to do is follow rules imposed by authorities in order to safeguard ourselves. Such tragic situation is total negligence in adhering to simple rules and regulations for safety purpose."