Five people, including a 5-year-old boy, died in a drowning incident during a picnic in Pantai Tok Bali, Kelantan on Saturday in Malaysia. Reports said that all of them belonged to the same family.
The bodies of four of them were found on Saturday, while the child's body was discovered by fishermen near the coast on Sunday. The deceased people have been identified as Yazul Bahari Yakob, 46, his daughter Yasmin Nor Aliza, 10, his sister Yusnina Yakob, 38 and their relative Zufika Suhaimi, 10.
Kelantan's Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) deputy director (logistics) Lieutenant Commander Ariffin Ghazali said that the body of Yazul Bahari's son, who goes by the name Khaizuran Waliyuddin Suhaimi, was found floating at about 9.45 am on Sunday.
"The remains of the victim were taken to the Tok Bali jetty and handed over to the police for further action," the officer told Bernama.
"The Search And Rescue operation by MMEA boat PENYELAMAT 7 was ended at 10.30am. The operation was also assisted by other agencies such as the police, Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM), Civil Defence Force (APM), People's Volunteers Corps (RELA) and other civilians," he added.
The Star reported that police have urged that Pantai Tok Bali in Pasir Puteh be declared unsafe for swimming. The report added that Pasir Puteh Deputy Superintendent of Police Abdul Rozak Mohamad have said the locals were aware that the area was not safe, but the outsiders did not have any clue.
"This area is part of the project site for the Tok Bali Supply Base," he told the Star. "The geological surface here is very uneven. The water can be waist high at one point, and can suddenly run deep in the next. The sand is also unusually soft here."
"We hope the local council would put up a warning signboard along the beach soon, for the benefit of outsiders," the authority added.
