South Korean doctor drowns off Pulau Perhentian Besar

BESUT: A South Korean doctor drowned while on holiday with his wife in Pulau Perhentian Besar on Tuesday.

Kim Byung Rim, 40, of Daejeon, had arrived at the island with his wife, Lee Yong Joo, also a doctor, last Saturday, said Besut police acting chief DSP Noorzainy Mohd Noor.

He said Kim, who was wearing a life jacket, had been enjoying himself in the sea with other tourists before he swam towards Shark Point without the life jacket for some snorkeling.

"When the other tourists came ashore, Kim was not with them and his wife alerted the others and they went in search of him," he said.

DSP Noorzainy said they found Kim floating in the water at about 3.30pm and rushed him by boat to the health clinic on the island.

Lee, when met at the mortuary of the Besut Hospital, said she and her husband had traveled by bus from Penang to come to Pulau Perhentian last Saturday.

She said they had taken leave for a holiday after having been told by friends of the beauty of the island.

"We were scheduled to leave Pulau Perhentian on Wednesday to return to Korea via Singapore," she said.

Kim's body is expected to be taken to Kuala Lumpur with the help of officials from the Embassy of South Korea. - Bernama