Boy relates how siblings drowned in disused bauxite
mine
| February 5, 2017
Witnesses and family who are first
at the scene tried in vain to help revive two of the victims after pulling them
out of pond.
KUANTAN: “I told my sister not to
retrieve my pants which was left in the pond, but she was adamant, she fell and
drowned.”
These were the words of Mohamad
Aiman Hakimi Zuhairi, 10, the younger brother of Salsabila, 12, who drowned in
a former bauxite mining pond in Taman Sungai Karang Jaya, Sungai Karang near
here yesterday afternoon together with their brother Mahathir Mohamad, seven,
and friend Nureen Ain Juwita Mohd Sharif, 10.
Narrating the moments before the
fateful event at 5 pm, Mohamad Aiman Hakimi said he and his siblings and four
others had gone for the first time to play in the area.
“I then saw a piece of black rubber
and tried to reach for it before falling into the pond. I almost drowned at
that time, but managed to save myself by swimming out.
“However, my pants came off and my
sister tried to reach for it,” he said when met at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan
Hospital (HTAA) Forensic Unit here last night.
However, he said his sister slipped
and fell into the pond and drowned while trying retrieve his pants prompting
Nureen Ain and his younger brother Mahathir to try and rescue her, but it also
resulted in them drowning in the process.
Aiman said he himself did not expect
to see his siblings and friend drowning without doing anything about it, as he
was overcome with shock.
He and the others then ran to the
nearest houses of residents in the area to get help, he said.
Meanwhile, the father of Nureen Ain
Juwita, security guard Mohd Sharif Awang Ngah, 50, said he did not expect his
only daughter to go to the area to play.
“Before the incident, Nureen Ain
Juwita had gone to her grandfather’s house in Taman PSJ about five kilometres
from our house in Kampung Sungai Karang.
Sharif said he found out about the
incident from a village resident there at 6.30pm.
Meanwhile, a witness staying in
Taman Sungai Karang Jaya, Zam Abdul Rahman, 37, was among the earliest to reach
the scene of the incident after being informed by one of the children involved.
“When I reached the place, the
bodies of the siblings had been pulled out by village residents.
“I tried to revive the two victims
but failed. When I found out Nureen Ain Juwita was still in the pond, I went
back home to fetch my safety vest to try to pull her body out,” he said.
He said the pond was quite deep and
he also almost drowned.
The body of Nureen Ain Juwita was
found at the bottom of the pond after Zam felt her head with his foot.
What to say beyong speechless and unnecessary deaths
Tengku Abdullah wants bauxite mines filled-up
| February 5, 2017
Drowning incident, resulting in the
deaths of three children, sees Pahang regent ordering authorities to take
urgent action.
KUANTAN: The Regent of Pahang Tengku
Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah yesterday ordered the relevant authorities to
fill-up disused mines with earth, especially those located near residential
areas, to avoid untoward incidents.
This followed an incident where
three children drowned in a disused bauxite mine at Taman Sungai Karang Jaya in
Sungai Karang near here yesterday.
“We hope the relevant authorities can
check on these disused mines, to fill them up with earth for safety of
residents in the area.
“If possible, place signboards to warn the
public against playing in the area,” he told reporters when met at Tengku
Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) here last night.
Tengku Abdullah and Tengku Puan
Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Iskandariah were at the hospital to offer their
condolences to the families of the victims.
The three children who drowned in
the mine were Salsabila Zuhairi, 12, and younger brother Mahathir Mohamad,
seven, and a friend, Nureen Ain Juwita Mohd Sharif, 10.
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