KOTA KINABALU: What was supposed to be a relaxing getaway for a Chinese couple turned into a tragedy when the husband drowned at Sapi Island, off the Sabah capital on Friday (March 15).
The victim has been identified as Zhou Chunguang, 51 and was found dead by other tourists who were swimming at the beach on the island, located some 15 minutes boat ride from here.
Kota Kinabalu police chief Asst Comm Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said the victim and his wife had gone to the island in a tour boat at about 10am.
He said the man went for a swim alone while the wife stayed at the beach at about 12.45pm.
“About 30 minutes later, the man’s body was found by two other tourists who subsequently sought help from lifeguards at Sapi Island,” he said, when contacted.
The victim was thereafter given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the shore for five minutes, he added.
“The man was then rushed in a tour boat to Jesselton Point (on the mainland) to be transported to the hospital.
"A doctor from the Health Ministry on duty at the emergency ward of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital I however declared that the victim had died at 1.55pm,” said ACP Mohd Zaidi.
The case has been classified as sudden death, he added.
