KUCHING: A fishing trip ended in tragedy for a group of five teenagers when two of them drowned in Sungai Seduan near a housing estate in Permai Jaya in Sibu.
According to a statement by the State Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), the victims, James Tiong King Hoe, 12, and Pau CHiong Huat, 18, were fishing from the riverbank with their three friends when the incident occurred around 7.00pm last Thursday.
It was believed that one of the victims had jumped into the river to retrieve a fish hook. However he failed to resurface and this prompted the other victim to jump into the river to look for him.
When both victims failed to resurface, their friends immediately sought help from nearby residents who then alerted the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba).
A search and rescue (SAR) team comprising 12 personnel from Sungai Merah fire station, seven members of Civil Defence Force (APM) and four police personnel was mobilised to the scene after a distress call was received at 7.15pm.
A Bomba operations control centre was then set up at the scene and rescuers started searching for the missing duo along the river. However, the operation was called off due darkness.
The search resumed at 7.18am yesterday and rescuers found the body of Pau Chiong Huat about 15 kilometres from the operations control centre at 10.33am.
The body of James Tiong Kiong Hoe was also found in the same area, where Pau was found at 11.42am.
The bodies were handed over to police for further action.
