Six Family Members Found Dead In Car Pulled From River In Jitra

JITRA, July 7 (Bernama) -- A married couple and their four children were found dead in a car that was pulled from Sungai Korok, in Kampung Kemboja, near here, this morning.

A relative of the victims, Nor Syafiqah Ishak, 28, confirmed the identities of the six, who had been reported missing since last Saturday.

The dead were identified as Muhammad Azim Izat Ishak, 32; his wife Nurul Hidayah Khadijah Razman Efendi, 31; and their children Putra Rayyan Nur Izzat, 9; Hawa Adriana, 8; Annayla Humaira, 7; and six-month-old Tuah Haydar.

Nor Syafiqah said they started searching for her brother Muhammad Azim's family along a stretch of the river soon after they were reported missing.

“We found no clues because the river is big, deep and murky.

“This morning, when the water receded slightly, someone spotted the edge of a car bonnet, and we all rushed over,” she told reporters at the scene.

She said family members identified the victims at the scene after the car was retrieved from the river by firemen.

According to Nor Syafiqah, the family of six had spent the night at a relative’s house in Taman Seri Aman in Jitra, before reportedly leaving for home in Jerlun at around 5.30 am on Saturday.

“But when they never arrived, we started to worry and tried calling and searching for them. By midday, when there was still no sign of them, we filed a police report,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kedah Fire and Rescue Department Zone 1 chief Ahmad Aminuddin Abd Rahim said they received a call regarding the car in the river at 8.38 am.

“It was reported that a Proton Iswara Sedan was in the river and that six victims — a man, a woman, three children and an infant — were inside the vehicle.

"The recovery operation was completed by 11 am and identification of the victims was carried out by next-of-kin,” he said. 

He added that according to rescue personnel, all the victims were found in the rear passenger seat, and the vehicle’s windows had to be broken to retrieve the bodies.

“The river is six metres deep, and tyre marks, believed to be from braking, were found about one metre from the riverbank,” he said.

— BERNAMA