KUALA LUMPUR: A Standard Five pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan Ampang near here is feared to have drowned after slipping and falling into a 1.5-metre deep drain near the school.
In the 4.24 pm incident, the victim, Khairul Azriel Abd Razak, 11, is believed to have gone near the drain to retrieve a sepak takraw ball kicked by his friend, Isyraq Mifzal, also 11, that bounced out of the school gates before falling into the drain.
“He voluntarily went to get the ball. Suddenly I heard him calling for help, I rushed to the area to help.
“I extended my hand to save him, but the water flowing swiftly in the drain swept him away. I ran to inform the teacher about the incident,” Isyraq told reporters at the scene, near here, today.
Meanwhile the victim’s mother, Norliza Zaabah, said the victim, who was the youngest of five siblings, was attending extra-curricular activities at school.
n the meantime, Hulu Langat Fire and Rescue Station Superintendent Mohd Amirul Abdul Aziz said 12 members from the Ampang Fire and Rescue Station and Hulu Langat were rushed to the scene.
“We received an emergency call at about 4.24 pm and arrived at the scene five minutes later.
“So far, seven members from the scuba unit of the Water Rescue Team (PPDA) from Shah Alam and Port Klang have moved from the scene to the garbage trap area in Ampang Point until the victim is found,” Mohd Amirul told Bernama when met at the scene of the incident.
A total of 30 policemen, two ambulance vans and eight members of the Malaysian People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) also participated in the search and rescue operations for the victim missing for more than 6 hours.
As of 10.30 pm, Khairul Azriel was still missing. — BERNAMA