2 S'pore survivors of 2015 Sabah quake return to Mount Kinabalu 10 years later to climb it again

“Want to climb Mount Kinabalu once more?”

These were the words 21-year-old Emyr Uzayr had waited 10 years to say.

In 2015, Emyr was part of a group of 29 students from Tanjong Katong Primary School on an expedition to Mount Kinabalu.

He was on the Via Ferrata trail when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck, sending rocks cascading down the mountain.

While the young Emyr made it back to safety, seven students and two teachers from his school, along with one Singaporean instructor, lost their lives in the tragedy.

Emyr suffered a fractured skull and back injuries and was airlifted back to Singapore.

Now, a decade later, Emyr and fellow survivor Prajesh Dhimant Patel, also 21, are attempting to climb Mount Kinabalu once again.

10 years in the making

Speaking to Mothership mid-climb, Emyr recalled the excitement he felt when he was first selected for the trip.

"I was told that I displayed exemplary leadership qualities as a student leader (prefect) and performed exceptionally well in my academics. All of us selected were the creme de la creme," he said.

Each year, a group of 11- and 12-year-olds from Tanjong Katong Primary School was chosen to participate in the expedition.

Emyr remembers hanging out at Pendant Hut, a cabin on the mountain, with his friends the night before — laughing and joking together.

He never imagined he would return home without seven of them.

"It’s been 10 years. I have carried the weight of that day with me for a decade. I knew deep down that I had to return. Not just to honour my friends but to find closure," the first-year finance student at the National University of Singapore said.

"This climb won’t just be about conquering a mountain. It’s about conquering my fears, the past, paying tribute and finishing off what my friends didn’t manage to do," he added.

Emyr later reached out to Prajesh, now an information systems student at Singapore Management University, to ask if he wanted to make the climb again.

They had kept in touch over the years.

There was no elaborate plan, Emyr said, just a quiet and mutual understanding that "the time felt right".

The weight of the past

While he was committed to the journey, it didn’t come without apprehension — and the emotional flood of memories from that fateful day.

Though he had prepared physically through long hikes and stair training in the months leading up to the climb, Emyr admitted the emotional burden was heavier than any physical strain.

"I knew each step I took would bring back memories. I was worried about how I’d handle them. But I also knew that running from fear wouldn’t help," he said.

To him, the only way forward was "facing it head-on".

The ascent

On May 20, Emyr and Prajesh began their climb at 8:30am.

Around six hours later, they reached Laban Rata Resthouse.

Though the trail remains largely the same, Emyr noted that many improvements have been made since 2015 — including additional safety railings, more checkpoints, and regular patrols.

"The hike pushes you physically but the infrastructure today gives you more confidence and reassurance," he said.

Moreover, he was accompanied by mountain guides from Amazing Borneo, who he said would "always go out of their way to care for you".

Back in 2015, many mountain guides were praised for their heroic efforts in carrying injured students down the mountain.

The two survivors were even able to reunite with some of these guides at Pendant Hut, where they had stayed a decade ago.

"Some weren’t even on duty that day but had rushed up the mountain to help in the search and rescue efforts. The scenes they described matched what I saw that day - chaos, courage and compassion."

Living purposefully with no regrets

The 2015 earthquake left lasting scars on Emyr — both physically and emotionally.

But it also taught him about resilience, grief, and the importance of living with purpose.

"I lost friends who were full of life and dreams and I think about them often. In everything I do, like my studies, my work, my service, I try to carry their memory forward," he said.

The experience made him grow up fast but also gave him a deep appreciation for life.

Today, he tries to live with no regrets and strives for the best in everything he does.

When Mothership checked in with Emyr on May 21, he updated that they have delayed the climb to the summit for the day due to weather conditions.

Sabah quake

On the morning of Jun. 5, 2015, a rare 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Sabah.

A group of pupils from Tanjong Katong Primary School, including Emyr, and eight teachers were attempting the Via Ferrata trail on Mount Kinabalu when the earthquake struck.

The Ministry of Education later clarified that they were on a "simpler" and "shorter" route, which was 281m long instead of the original 430m route.

Other than those who perished, other students and teachers also suffered injuries and were treated at the hospital.

The country mourned the loss of the 10 people from Singapore through the National Remembrance Day on Jun. 8, 2015.

The quake also took the lives of six Malaysians, one Chinese and one Japanese national.

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Top photos from emyr8/Instagram