BESUT: The gallantry of a youth who risked his own life to save a friend turned tragic when he himself drowned at the Tembakah waterfalls in Hulu Besut, about 15 kilometres from here, on Saturday.
Besut police chief Supt Kamaruddin Mohd Zakaria said the victim, Ahmad Mustapha, 18, from Kampung Kulim Hilir, Pasir Puteh, Kelantan had come to the recreation spot with 13 other friends in a motorcycle convoy.
He said soon after, three members of the group went for a dip while the others were having lunch but one of the three suddenly got into difficulties.
“Ahmad who was with the group having lunch immediately dived into the water in trying to rescue his friend.
“However, he failed to surface while the friend in difficulty was rescued by another member of the group, Mohd Zulhi Awang, 22,” he told reporters here yesterday.
After failing to trace Ahmad, he said the group contacted the Civil Defence Department for help.
Rescuers found the victim’s body at 3.45pm about three metres from where he had jumped into the water.
Ahmad’s body was sent to the Besut Hospital’s for post-mortem before being claimed by his family members for burial. — Bernama