M'sian bishop dead after boat capsize in Guatemala

A Malaysian bishop was drowned after a boat carrying 14 people capsized in Lake Atitlan, about 170km west of the Guatemalan capital.

He was among two others - a Frenchman and a Guatemalan - who died in the incident.

The bodies of the drowning victims were identified as Malaysian Bishop Julius Danaraj Paul, French tourist Guillermo Fresseth and Guatemalan Valerio Jowittz Cotzal, the Public Ministry's assistant prosecutor, Diego Sisay, told local press.

Bishop Paul was from the the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur.

The 63-year-old bishop was in Guatemala City for two weeks to attend the Lutheran World Federation Meeting.

Sisay said relief workers are still working to locate the three other people who disappeared during the incident, which occurred Saturday afternoon.

Boat Overloaded

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.