Two teenage friends drown during swim outing at remote river

MIRI – Two teenage boys have been found drowned after their swim-outing at a remote river in the Julau district in central Sarawak turned tragic.

The incident happened late yesterday at Sungai Meluan in the upper reaches of Julau. The bodies were recovered by the Bintangor Fire and Rescue search team at around 10pm.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department today said the victims were identified as Abdul Rezan Jalil, aged 15, and his friend Ferdinand Raymond, 16. Both their bodies have been recovered from the river.

The department, in a press release, said the father of one of boys told search and rescue teams that the two were friends.

"They had gone to the river for a swim yesterday afternoon.

"Abdul Rezan had apparently made an attempt to swim across the river to the other side but ended up struggling in the middle of the river.

"Ferdinand, on seeing Rezan in trouble and sinking beneath the river currents, swam to him in an attempt to rescue him.

"However, both were swept away by the strong current and went missing in the waters," the department said.

Rezan's body was found about 20 metres from the spot where he went missing while Ferdinand's body was found about 50 metres away, said the department, adding that the search mission concluded at around 10pm after the recovered bodies were handed over to the Bintangor police. – The Vibes, October 2, 2023