Fifth-former Drowns While Swimming In River

ALOR SETAR, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- A 17-year-old male student drowned while swimming in Sungai Kampung Gelam here today.

Kota Setar district police chief ACP Syed Basri Syed Ali said the victim, a fifth-form student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Darulaman, had gone to the river with four friends before the incident.

“Around 5.30 pm, the victim and his friends went to the river from Taman Derga Jaya to swim. While in the water, his friends saw him struggling and he eventually sank.

“His friends tried to rescue him, but he sank in the middle of the river. They then called on the public to alert the police,” he said in a statement today.

He said an emergency call came through at 6.20 pm, and at 6.41 pm, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department personnel recovered the victim’s body.

“An external examination found no signs of injury. The body has been sent to the Forensic Department at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, with a post-mortem scheduled for 10 am tomorrow,” he added.

-- BERNAMA