KUALA BERANG, April 24 — A 25-year-old man drowned while trying to save one of his friends who fell into the water at the Sekayu Waterfall in Hulu Terengganu this morning.
The victim, identified as Syafiq Haikal Sharudin of Padang Hiliran, Kuala Terengganu, is believed to have attempted to rescue his friend who fell while hiking along the hillside in the area.
Kuala Berang Fire and Rescue Station chief Zulhisham Mohamad Yusop said they received a distress call at 11.18am and rushed to the scene with a fire engine and 10 firefighters, including three from the Water Rescue team.
“After conducting a skin dive, at 12.15pm, the Water Rescue Team members found the victim wedged between rocks at a depth of 1.5 metres at the location he was reported missing,” he said when contacted today.
Zulhisham said the victim’s body was handed over to the police for further action.
Meanwhile, the victim’s friend Daniel Asmadi, 25 said it was an unplanned trip, adding that the six of them left Kuala Terengganu at 9am and arrived at the waterfall about an hour later.
“Three of us hiked to the top of the waterfall...suddenly, I lost my balance before slipping and nearly drowned. Syafiq Haikal extended one of his legs so I could grab onto it. Unfortunately, he slipped and fell into the water.
“I am devastated that I couldn’t save Syafiq Haikal. He lost his life because he tried to save me,” he told Bernama at the scene. — Bernama