PENGERANG: The family of a teenager feared drowned at Pantai Tanjung Lompat near Bandar Penawar here, were unaware that he had gone camping at the beach with his friends.
Nur Adriana Dania Rumainoor, 24, said her youngest brother Muhammad Thaqif Rayyan had only told her that he was going out with his friends.
The teen was among three feared missing after six boys, from a group of 15 who went camping at Pantai Tanjung Lompat near Tanjung Balau in Penawar here, got into trouble while swimming yesterday morning.
Penawar Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Muhammad Adib Tarmuzi said one body found at 1.25pm yesterday was identified as Alif Taqiuddin Kamal Hasrul, 16.
Two of the six boys – Mohamad Faqrul Isqandar Abdullah and Muhammad Afiq Ruzaini Mazlan, both 16 – were rescued earlier by other beach-goers.
The other two still missing are Mohamad Haiman Fitri Supian and Muhammad Adib Hafiy Kamal, both 16.
Speaking to The Star, Nur Adriana said she last contacted her brother on Tuesday night and he did not mention that he was at the beach.
“He told me he was going somewhere else. I only found out when one of his friends told me that he had drowned,” she said.
Nur Adriana said she was particularly close to Muhammad Thaqif, having cared for him after their mother died in 2021.
Muhammad Thaqif’s father Rumainoor Salleh, 47, said his son had become unusually quiet over the past week and spent most of his time in his room.
“He usually goes out at night, but for a week he stayed in his room and did not go out,” he said.
According to Muhammad Adib Tarmuzi, firefighters initially conducted a search along the shoreline for the remaining victims.
At noon, the Johor Fire and Rescue Department deployed a drone unit to assist in the search.
In a separate case in Kota Kinabalu, the body of an 11-year-old girl who was reported missing in Sungai Bengkoka, Pitas, on Tuesday afternoon has been found, Bernama reported.
Pitas Fire and Rescue Station chief Noor Jali Maslah said the victim was found by villagers about 1km from the Fire and Rescue Control Centre yesterday.
