Drowned couple found hugging each other in canal

SABAK BERNAM: A young couple were found hugging each other as they drowned in an irrigation canal near Kampung Parit 9 Timur, Sungai Besar here. 

A passerby spotted the bloated bodies of the 21-year-old man and his 18-year-old girlfriend floating in the canal in front of a primary school at about 8.10am Wednesday, said district OCPD Supt Nor Azmi Isa. 

Supt Nor Azmi said a team consisting of firemen, police forensics officers and personnel from the Civil Defence department (JPAM) were deployed to the scene to assist in the recovery of the bodies.

“We found the man’s motorcycle in the canal, about 50m away from where their bodies were found. We believe that it was raining heavily when the couple were riding home from work,” he added.

Supt Nor Azmi explained that the couple was last seen leaving a house in Kampung Nelayan here at about 4pm Monday.

“The man was sending his girlfriend to work. She worked in a bakery nearby.

“They were travelling home from work at night when his motorcycle skidded off the road and crashed into the canal,” he said.

According to Supt Nor Azmi, the couple was swept away by strong water currents and drowned.

The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving.