TWO teenage boys, aged 14 and 19, drowned at sea after the wooden jetty they were on collapsed in Sabah’s east coast of Semporna district.
According to The Star, they were with six other friends, aged between 11 and 19, when the incident occurred at about 4pm yesterday.
Semporna district police chief Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said they were informed of the incident by the General Operations Force (GOF) as the tragedy took place at the Gading-Gading GOF post.
With the help of villagers, the police managed to rescue the six friends but failed to find the two boys, triggering a search and rescue operation.
“We found the missing boys at 4.30pm, but they were unconscious. Both victims were given emergency respiratory assistance. Unfortunately, they did not respond and were pronounced dead by a doctor on duty at the scene at 5.30pm.”
On that note, Farhan said police are still investigating how the village jetty could have collapsed.
“All village committees are advised to make regular inspections of their jetties to ensure the people’s safety,” he added.
On April 15, seven people, including five children, drowned after a pump boat ferrying them capsized off Pulau Timbun Mata in Semporna. – May 3, 2022
Pic credit: PDRM
