The last three bodies of eight teenagers who drowned in Sungai Muar recovered.
SEGAMAT: The bodies of all five teenagers who were reported missing in Sungai Muar near Buloh Kasap, here were found this afternoon.
OCPD Supt Mohd Kamil Sukarmi said the body of Mohd Nazree Zainal, 14, was found floating at 1.40pm while that of Mohd Shafiq Md Sukur, 16, was found on the river bed at 2.06pm.
"Three other bodies were also found on the river bed. They were that of Mohd Zaki Zaidi, 16, and Mohd Izoan Hakimis Amin, 16, who were recovered at 2.41pm while the last body, Mohd Hafizuddin Kamal, 16, was found at 2.46pm," he told reporters.
Supt Mohd Kamil said all the bodies were found within a radius of 10 metres of the site of the tragedy with the bodies of Mohd Shafiq, Mohd Zaki, Mohd Izoan Hakimis and Mohd Hafizuddin being stuck to tree stumps on the river bed.
He said that all the bodies were later sent to the Segamat Hospital for autposy.
Johor Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Ab Ghani Daud said that following the discovery of all the bodies, the search and rescue operation involving 133 members of the Fire and Rescue Department, police, Rela (Volunteer Corps), Civil Defence Department and the District Office was stopped at 3pm.
For the moment, he said, quicksand at the site of the tragedy was believed to be the cause of the incident.
Earlier, all family members of the victims were seen performing the Zohor and special 'hajat' prayers at the tragedy site before the atmosphere turned melancholic when the bodies were brought out of the river one by one.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was also present to observe the search and rescue operation.
In the incident yesterday, Mohd Hafizuddin, who was walking on the sandy banks of the river was said to have slipped suddenly into the water before seven of his friends who tried to rescue him also disappeared into the river.
The search yesterday succeeded in recovering the bodies of Mohd Hafizul Danial Norhashim, 16, Mohd Zikri Zaidi, 14, and Nazirul Aminuddin Zamri, 15, near each other.
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