Penang Port chairman Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said people should learn from the accident yesterday that took six lives during a dragon boat training session in the channel, so that they take proper precautionary measures before embarking on such trips.

"Life jackets should also be worn at all times by anyone engaging in such water-sports activities," he said when visiting the rescue operations centre at the McCallum Street Ghaut coast today.

Five of the deceased were students of Chung Ling High School and the other a teacher from the same school. They were practising for two boating events – the Club Crew Championship and the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival –scheduled in July, when their boat capsized .

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the school and the relevant authorities need to provide some explanation for the incident.

"There needs to be some light shed on the questions being posed by the parents. They need to know the facts of the situation.

"This is a great loss because the students were top achievers in their PMR exams at the school," he added. "I offer my sympathies to the families... It is hard for us to imagine how they are feeling during this tragic period."

Police and other authorities, consumed by the search operations, did not delve publicly into details of the possible cause of the accident.

Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakob could only say investigations were ongoing and urged the relevant parties to cooperate.