2 S'pore survivors of deadly 2015 Sabah quake reach Mount Kinabalu summit 10 years after quake

Two survivors of the 2015 Sabah earthquake have completed their climb of Mount Kinabalu on May 22.

This comes a decade after the deadly earthquake that took the lives of seven students and two teachers from their school, along with one Singaporean instructor.

Emyr Uzayr and Prajesh Dhimant Patel, both 21, were part of a group of 29 students from Tanjong Katong Primary School on an expedition to Mount Kinabalu.

They were on the Via Ferrata trail when the 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck, sending rocks cascading down the mountain.

Emyr suffered a fractured skull and back injuries while Patel suffered serious head, chest and muscle injuries.

Now, a decade later, the two friends have finished off what they started in 2015.

Perseverance

Speaking to Mothership, Emyr shared that they began their ascent on May 20 but had to delay their climb to the summit due to bad weather conditions.

They were scheduled to resume the trek on May 21, but once again, the weather prevented them from continuing.

"We actually had to go home, but we did our best to find a way to stay one more day. It was a total gamble," said Emyr, a first-year finance student at the National University of Singapore.

He added that their tour agency, Amazing Borneo, went above and beyond to help them extend their stay.

Fortunately, the weather was "perfect" on May 22, and the two young men resumed their climb.

Emyr said he carried the Singapore flag on his shoulders throughout the journey.

Although the climb was physically demanding, he was determined to see it through.

And see it through they did.

Living purposefully with no regrets

In an earlier interview with Mothership, Emyr said the 2015 earthquake left lasting scars on him — 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.

Top photos from Emyr Uzayr