Sandakan siblings, aged 10 and 19, drown in neglected pond

KOTA KINABALU: A brother and sister drowned during a family outing near an abandoned pond in Sandakan district on Wednesday (Aug 2).

Sandakan OCPD ACP Abdul Fuad Abdul Malek said prior to the 11am incident, the victims – Amira Rolan, 19, and Muhamad Awira, 10 – were swimming with four other family members at Kg Bambu off Mile 7, Sandakan.

“While swimming at an abandoned pond there, the two victims got into difficulties,” he said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 3).

He said the siblings were brought out of the water by villagers nearby.

However, the victims were pronounced dead at the Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan at 12.40pm, said ACP Abdul Fuad.

“This case is being investigated as a Sudden Death Report,” he said.

The victims' remains have been handed over to their family for burial.