Teenager drowns at beach picnic

CHUKAI: The joy of two friends spending the Chinese New Year holiday picnicking at Pantai Penunjuk, Kijal, ended in tragedy when one of them drowned while swimming.

According to a Fire and Rescue Department spokesman, the victim identified as Halim Nazmi Amran, 16, died on Friday (Feb 16) after he was brought ashore by members of the public at the beach.

“We received a distress call at 6.33pm and four personnel and an engine from the Kijal Fire and Rescue station were rushed to the scene.

“It is believed that the victim was rescued but it was too late and he was confirmed dead by the medical team at the scene,” he told reporters here.

Kemaman district police chief Supt Mohd Said Ibrahim said the victim was a local resident and the body was sent to the Kemaman Hospital for post-mortem. - Bernama