Outing ends in tragedy as two children drown in Kuala Perlis river

 

Perlis Fire and Rescue personnel, together with members of the public, launched a search for Iskandar Zulkarnain Mohd Faizal (inset, bottom) and his friend, Muhammad Haikal Hakim Mohd Yuhanis, who were believed to have drowned in a river at Kampung Padang Besar Selatan, Kuala Perlis. PIC COURTESY OF THE FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT

KANGAR: An outing among five friends ended in tragedy after two children drowned in a river at Kampung Padang Besar Selatan in Kuala Perlis today.

The victims were identified as Iskandar Zulkarnain Mohd Faizal, 8, and his friend Muhammad Haikal Hakim Mohd Yuhanis, 10.

Perlis Fire and Rescue Department director Wan Mohd Hamizi Wan Mohd Zin said a team from the Kuala Perlis Fire and Rescue Station was deployed after receiving a distress call at 4.40pm.

"Preliminary investigations found that five children were swimming in the river.

"Three were rescued by members of the public, with one currently being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

"However, the two victims (Iskandar Zulkarnain and Muhammad Haikal Hakim) could not be saved and were pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene," he said in a statement. - NST