A family picnic at Pantai Sura Tengah in Dungun turned tragic on Wednesday morning after a woman drowned while her younger brother who tried to save her is feared missing.
Family outing ends in tragedy
The incident occurred at about 10.27am on Jan 1 while a family of 15 was spending time at the beach. The group consisted of seven adults and eight children from Kampung Paya Balai Besar.
What was meant to be a relaxing picnic quickly took a devastating turn when one of the family members got into trouble in the water.
Swept away by strong waves
Reported by Kosmo!, Dungun District Police Chief Superintendent Maizura Abdul Kadir said the woman, identified as Nor Baizura Shafie, 39, was bathing in the sea when she was suddenly carried away by strong waves.
She was unable to return to shore as the sea conditions became increasingly rough.
Brother rushed in to help
Upon seeing his sister struggling, her younger brother, Mohd Fazir, 37, immediately entered the water in an attempt to rescue her.
However, he was also unable to fight the powerful currents, and both siblings were soon swept away and disappeared from sight.
Rescue efforts underway
Search and rescue teams were rushed to the scene and managed to locate Nor Baizura at about 10.54am.
Her brother has yet to be found, and authorities are continuing search efforts in the area.
Members of the public have been reminded to exercise caution when visiting beaches, especially during periods of strong waves, and to prioritise safety when bringing families and children to coastal areas.
READ ALSO:
