M'sian archbishop dead after boat capsize in Guatemala

Dear friends,

I am sending you this piece of sad news about the circumstances that led to the sad demise of Bishop Julius Paul.

The Lutheran World Federation is making arrangements for the body to be flown back to Kuala Lumpur. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the ELCM in due time.

Please keep Bishop Paul's wife, Shanta and the three children, Suren, Navin and Lalithain your prayers.

Yours sincerely,
Hermen Shastri
__________________________________________________________________________

Nov 24, 08 8:35am

A Malaysian archbishop (Lutheran), a Frenchman and a Guatemalan drowned, and three other people were missing late Sunday, after a boat carrying 14 people capsized in Lake Atitlan, about 170km west of the Guatemalan capital.
MCPX
The bodies of the drowning victims were identified as Malaysian archbishop Julius Danaraj Paul, French tourist Guillermo Fresseth and Guatemalan Valerio Jowittz Cotzal, the Public Ministry's assistant prosecutor, Diego Sisay, told local press.
Sisay said relief workers are still working to locate the three other people who disappeared during the incident, which occurred Saturday afternoon.
Survivors indicated that the boat was overloaded and capsized after strong winds hit the region, according to Sisay.
The accident occurred three kilometers from the pier at Santiago Atitlan, a town popular with tourists, and near the Isle of Los Gatos in the Santiago Atitlan Bay .
Roberto Vega, chief operating officer of the National Civil Police, said that the passengers were immediately assisted by other boats in the vicinity as well as local emergency personnel who rescued the survivors.
The boat's operator, Oscar Rene Sajbin, was being questioned by authorities to determine responsibility and to clarify details of the tragedy, Vega added.
Lake Atitlan is one of Guatemala 's top tourist destinations.
-AFP