It was later revealed by the Penang Education Department that the school disregarded the safety guidelines for co-curricular activities by not seeking approval and clearance before conducting the training.

Some officials said that the incident location was unsuitable for the water sports due to busy traffic, uncertain weather conditions, strong currents, and debris left by fishermen from boat repair.

On 17 January 2010, the Chung Ling High School dragon boat practice took place in Penang Strait, located off Macallum Street Ghaut, as part of their weekly training in preparation for their upcoming July competition.

Twelve paddlers were admitted to Penang General Hospital after being rescued by fishermen in two nearby boats or having swum to safety.

A 100-person rescue team in sixteen boats consisting of policemen, firemen, marine law enforcement bureau and civil defense officers arrived at the accident area.

Multiple high-profile figures, including Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang and Datuk Wira Ayub Yakoob, deputy communication for Penang police chief, visited the tragedy site.

[10] Lok Yim Pheng, the secretary-general of the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP), criticized the organizers, coordinators and teachers for developing a reputation of a lack of safety sense, citing another tragedy involving three women who drowned on a 1Malaysia school camping trip due to collapse of suspension bridge in Perak.

[5][12] Some officials, especially Shamsir Mohamed, officer of Marine Department (northern region) and Lai Chew Hock, chairman of Penang Dragon Boat Association, voiced concerns about the suitability of the area for water sports.

Chew Hock claimed the area was unsuitable for any water sports activities due to debris from fishing boats and strong currents.

Lim Choo Hooi, chairman of Penang Forward Sports Club, responded by saying that neither the wave tides nor the monsoon season posed a problem for training sessions.

He also said that the tragedy site was protected from tsunamis and strong waves and had been used for training for three years, making it one of the safest stretches of public shoreline.