SUNGAI PETANI: A father's suspicion that his son and nephew had fallen into a shrimp farm pool near their home in Kampung Sungai Emas Hujung, Kota Kuala Muda, proved to be correct as both boys were found drowned there today.
In the 2 pm incident, Muhammad Aidil Adha Mohd Ali, 5 , and his cousin, three-year-old Muhammad Syafiq Amsyar Abdul Syahid's lifeless bodies were entangled in a net that the father had cast during their rescue efforts.
Recounting the tragedy, Mohd Ali Abdul Rahman, 48, said that at the time of the incident, he was working at the shrimp farm before his wife informed him that their son, Mohd Aidil Adha, and nephew, Muhammad Syafiq, were not around.
Mohd Ali said prior to the incident, he saw his son and nephew playing with their pet rabbit under a shed near the shrimp pool.
"However, a few minutes later, they were nowhere to be seen, and only the rabbit remained near the shed," he said when met at the Kota Kuala Muda Health Clinic today.
Mohd Ali said that he began to feel a bit uneasy when he couldn't find his son and nephew during his search.
He suspected that the two boys might have fallen into the shrimp farm pool.
"I said, 'Ya Allah!' I was certain my child was in this pond, but I placed my trust in fate. I attempted to pull the net and it felt heavy.
"I then sought assistance from a neighbor to pull the net, and on the first attempt, they managed to retrieve my nephew. The second attempt was fruitless... it was only on the third attempt that they managed to retrieve my son," he added.
Mohd Ali said both victims were then taken to the Kota Kuala Muda Health Clinic for treatment, but they were unfortunately confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Syafiq's mother, Nur Khairina Natasha Sarino, 24, said that she noticed her child's absence when their home started to get quiet.
"At first, I heard them playing, but then it became silent, and I felt uneasy. I then asked my husband where the children were, but he couldn't find them," she added.
Nur Khairina said that a day before the incident, her child displayed unusual behavior by requesting to wear the traditional kurta outfit instead of his usual T-shirts, which turned out to be a sign of things to come.
Meanwhile, Kuala Muda district police chief Zaidy Che Hassan confirmed that the police have received a report on the incident.
He said the bodies of both victims had been sent to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB) in Alor Star for a post-mortem.
He said that the case had been classified as sudden death.