KAMPAR: A teacher drowned in a water-rafting incident at Sungai Jahang, Gopeng here yesterday evening.
In the incident at about 7pm, Ahmad Khairudin Ayob, 47, a teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Limbongan, Malacca, was confirmed dead at the location by a medical team from the Gopeng Health Clinic.
Kampar District Police Chief Supt Hasron Nazri Hashim said the victim arrived here at about 3pm as part of a car-and-motorcycle convoy of 19 people.
He said 15 of the group, including the victim, embarked on the water-rafting activity conducted by a recreational company in Kampung Jahang in three boats.
“The victim was on the second boat with six others and departed at 5pm. After 10 minutes of the activity, the boat overturned about 500m from the point of departure (Kuala Razila).
“The victim was swept off for about one kilometre before he was saved by the crew of the first boat, one of whom provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) aid but there was no response, while the others were saved,” he said in a statement, here today.
Hasron Nazri said a physical examination of the victim’s body did not find any criminal element, and a check of the river found the current strong due to the heavy rains before the incident.
He said the appropriate safety precautions such as life jackets and helmets had been taken while a briefing had also been given to the participants before the activity began.
Hasron Nazri said the victim’s remains had been sent to the Kampar Hospital for a post-mortem. - Bernama
