A man in Kedah risked his life by diving into a sewage pit to save a nine-year-old boy who had fallen in during a school sports day event on Thursday morning (Sep 25).
The tragic incident took place at around 10am, where despite the man’s desperate rescue attempt, the child sadly did not survive.
Witness turned rescuer
According to NST, Muhammad Arsyad Jahaya said he was at the school to watch the event when chaos suddenly broke out.
I was recording a video as the preschool children were about to start their race when the situation suddenly turned chaotic. The students were told to gather on the field,” he said.
A teacher then rushed to him and asked if he could swim, explaining that a child had fallen into a sewage pit.
At first, 35-year-old man hesitated because the water surface was calm, and he was unsure if anyone was really inside.
“I took about two to three minutes to assess the situation and consider the risks, especially as I had no equipment,” he said.
Others had already called the Fire and Rescue department, but Arsyad decided he could not wait.
Hat and shoe floats on surface
He started climbing down into the pit, but the water soon reached his neck.
He used a stick to check the depth, which he later estimated to be about 2.4 metres deep with almost zero visibility due to the black water, gas, and strong odour.
What pushed him to act was when the victim’s hat and one shoe suddenly floated to the surface.
I felt something strike the stick, and shortly after, the hat and shoe appeared. I took that as a sign and immediately dived in,” he said.
Managed to pull the boy out but it was too late
Arsyad said he managed to grab the child’s hand underwater and push him up to people waiting above, who then pulled the boy out.
Although he succeeded in bringing the child out, Arsyad said the victim was unconscious and the incident continues to haunt him.
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