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Hope for the best.... SINGAPORE: A group of students from Tanjong Katong Primary School were on an excursion at Mount Kinabalu when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck on Friday (Jun 5), Channel NewsAsia understands. At least eight of them are uncontactable, along with two teachers, Mr James Ho, a parent of one of the students, said. This was later confirmed by the Education Ministry. The 12-year-old students and their teachers were understood to have departed Mount Kinabalu on Wednesday for a leadership programme and were expected to return on Monday afternoon. Anxious parents were seen rushing into the school for a meeting with teachers on Friday afternoon. One woman said her daughter was injured and is "on the way to hospital". Mr Ho told Channel NewsAsia that his 12-year-old daughter Rachel is one of eight students stranded at the via ferrata route on Mount Kinabalu. He said he has received no news about their well-being. "This happened in the morning and it's been more than 12 hours. And the frustrating thing is we are not getting any updates on the rescue operations," he said. Another 19 students from the school have returned to safety, Mr Ho added, and five of them and one teacher suffered minor injuries. Mr Sadri Farick, whose child had leg injuries after the quake, also expressed frustration at the lack of information. "I sympathise with my friends whose children are missing. We got news from one of the boys that there are boulders dropping in front of them, and they have been cut off, so we are expecting the worst but still have hope." MOE WORKING TO CONTACT MISSING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS In a statement, MOE confirmed that 10 people from Tanjong Katong Primary have yet to be accounted for. "Three schools, Fuchun Secondary School, Greenridge Secondary School and Tanjong Katong Primary School, are in Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia on overseas learning journey. All students and teachers from Fuchun and Greenridge have been accounted for and arrangements have been made for them to return to Singapore. Of the 29 students and eight teachers from Tanjong Katong Primary School, 21 students and six teachers have been accounted for. MFA and ISOS are rendering assistance for their safe return to Singapore. We are continuing efforts to contact the remaining eight students and two teachers. Parents have been informed and kept updated on the situation." COLD NIGHT FOR THOSE STRANDED: PARKS DIRECTOR Earlier, Sabah Parks director Jamili Nais told Channel NewsAsia over the phone that 38 Singaporeans had begun climbing Mount Kinabalu at about 2am to 3am on Friday morning before the earthquake hit. "Up there, it is getting colder. We are in touch with the staff and in touch with some of the stranded climbers. It's getting cold but the weather is slightly better now. Three helicopters are on the way to drop food and warm clothing," Dr Jamili said. "But Im really fearful because before long, its going to be very cold and tonight therell be hypothermia, so we are working very hard at least to drop the food and warm clothing as well as camping equipment," he added. Paramedics, doctors and ambulances are waiting at base for those rescued, he said. In a statement, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said majority of the more than 100 Singaporeans in Sabah at the time of the quake are safe, and that it is still working to reach those who are uncontactable. It has also despatched a Crisis Response Team to Sabah to render consular assistance. - CNA/ly