KOTA TINGGI: The three men who died after their car plunged into a ditch at a plantation area here were returning from a fishing trip.
Kota Tinggi OCPD Supt Yusof Othman said the three victims and two others had finished fishing in the area when their car skidded and got stuck in the mud near a ditch.
"The four-wheel drive the three victims were in got stuck in the mud, and their two friends, who were in another four-wheel drive, tried to tow it.
"During the towing process, the victims' car slid into the ditch and was submerged in water with strong currents," he said.
He added that their friends attempted to rescue the victims by breaking the front left window of the vehicle.
"They managed to pull one of the victims out of the car, who was unconscious.
"However, they were unable to pull the other two from the water-filled vehicle," he said.
The two friends then received assistance from a plantation worker and were brought to the guard post, after which the Kota Tinggi Fire and Rescue Department was contacted.
"The Fire and Rescue Department later recovered the bodies of the two remaining victims.
"Checks on the rescued man by medical officers confirmed that he had died," he said.
Supt Yusof also clarified that the incident was not flood-related and that the vehicle plunged into a ditch.
