A 10-year-old boy drowned after he slipped and fell into a drain while playing with a friend in Kampung Rancangan Klias here on Friday evening.
The incident occurred at about 5.30pm when the victim and his friend were playing near a plantation drain located about one kilometre behind the victim’s home.
Beaufort district police chief Superintendent Champin Piuh said initial investigations found that the boy slipped while walking along the drain bank, which had become slippery following rain.
“The victim, who could not swim, managed to shout for help, but his friend was too frightened and panicked to assist him.
“His friend then ran to inform the victim’s father, who was working at a nearby school,” he said when contacted by Sinar Harian on Saturday.
The victim’s father immediately rushed to the location and jumped into the drain in an attempt to save his son.
Champin said the father eventually found his son underwater after stepping on his leg and quickly pulled him out onto the bank.
He then attempted to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the boy, but the effort was unsuccessful.
The father subsequently brought the victim home while waiting for an ambulance from Beaufort Hospital to arrive.
Medical personnel later examined the child and confirmed that he had died.
Further checks at the scene found that the drain had recently been cleaned and deepened.
Champin said the drain was about three metres high, with the water estimated to be around two metres deep.
He added that the water level was believed to have risen due to rain at the time of the incident.
The case has since been classified as sudden death.
Champin also urged parents and guardians to keep a close eye on their children and ensure they do not venture out alone, particularly when playing near rivers, drains or other bodies of water.
The incident serves as a reminder of how quickly water levels and slippery conditions can turn familiar outdoor areas into dangerous spots for children.
