SERDANG – Police have identified the family of five swept away by strong currents while fishing in a monsoon drain near a stream in Jalan KP 4/9 Kota Perdana, Seri Kembangan, yesterday afternoon as Indonesian nationals.
Serdang district police chief A.A. Anbalagan said the victim found drowned was the couple’s 10-year-old eldest son, while the missing victims were the mother, aged 38, and the couple’s 4-year-old daughter.
He said the survivors were the father, aged 40, and the couple’s 9-year-old son.
“According to the husband, they went to the area to fish for additional income. However, around 5pm, a strong current from the monsoon drain swept them away to a stream with a depth of 1.2m.
“He managed to save himself before contacting the authorities for help, while the second son managed to climb onto the right side of the drain before he was rescued by the public at 5.30pm,” he told reporters at the scene last night.
He said the body of the eldest son was found about one kilometre away from the location of the incident before being sent to Serdang Hospital for further examinations.
Efforts to locate the missing victims are underway.
Anbalagan said preliminary investigations revealed that the man had been living in the country for nearly 10 years, doing various jobs to support his family.
“The man said they had visited the location several times to fish and the catch would be sold to earn extra income,” he said, adding that he sustained minor injuries while his second child was unhurt. – April 1, 2024