Holiday outing ends in tragedy as waterfall claims UniSZA student's life
BANDAR PERMAISURI: The joy of eight friends from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) frolicking at Lata Changkah in Terengganu on the Wesak Day public holiday was shattered when one of them drowned.
It was their first visit there as Muhammad Hady Izzudyn Ikmal Hisam, 23, said he and the victim, Wan Ahmad Irfan Wan Abdullah Thani, 24, were initially taking a dip with six other friends in the middle section of the (waterfall) cascade.
"I then went ashore for a drink. Following that, I saw the six of them moving further toward the centre and worryingly, all six of them actually couldn't swim.
"Not long after, I saw them all starting to struggle. I immediately rushed to help and managed to save five of them with the help of the public.
"But we couldn't find Wan Ahmad Irfan," he said when met at the scene today.
Meanwhile, operations commander Zuraidi Mohd Yusuf from the Setiu fire and rescue station (BBP Setiu) said they received a distress call about the incident at 3.42pm before dispatching 10 personnel to the waterfall.
The search and rescue operation for the Faculty of Law student began at 4pm before Wan Ahmad Irfan's body was recovered from the bottom of the pool at a depth of 4.5 metres, some 28 minutes later.
"Five of the victim's friends, who nearly drowned, were sent to the Setiu Hospital for treatment of near-drowning injuries, while the deceased student's body was handed over to police.
"The public is advised to always be cautious about weather conditions.
"While it wasn't raining at the waterfall during the incident, the murky water is an indication that rainfall occurred upstream (danger of surging currents)," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
01-06-2025
- New Straits Times
Queue-jumpers at Causeway and Second Link risk U-turn and blacklist
SINGAPORE: Motorists have been warned, queue-jumping at the Causeway or Second Link land checkpoints may result in a forced U-turn and possible blacklisting by Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). With traffic expected to spike during the June school holidays and the Hari Raya Haji weekend (June 6 to 9), the ICA has intensified enforcement against errant drivers attempting to cut queues at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. The authority reminded motorists that officers stationed on the ground, supported by its central operations team, will not hesitate to flag down queue-jumpers. Offending vehicles will be turned around and ordered to rejoin the back of the queue. Drivers who fail to comply risk more severe consequences, including being barred from entering the checkpoints in the future. The ICA also warned that closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage would be used as evidence in cases of dispute over queue-cutting. In a Facebook post, the authority said that during the recent Wesak Day long weekend (May 8 to 13), more than three million travellers crossed both land checkpoints, with traffic peaking at over 546,000 travellers on May 9 alone. Long waits, at times stretching up to five hours, were not uncommon during public holidays. The ICA said that congestion tends to worsen during rainy weather, particularly when motorcyclists face difficulties with biometric clearance due to wet fingerprints. Motorists were also cautioned against abusive behaviour at checkpoints, which could result in being referred to the Secondary Office for further investigation. To minimise delays, the ICA advised travellers to observe road etiquette, refrain from unnecessary honking, and avoid bringing prohibited or controlled items when crossing into Singapore. Meanwhile, Johor police Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department deputy chief, Deputy Superintendent Noor Azman Mat Sani, said strict enforcement will be carried out at both land checkpoints. "We will continue to monitor traffic closely and issue summonses without compromise to any motorist caught committing offences, including queue-cutting," he told the New Straits Times when contacted today. He also urged all motorists to obey traffic rules, plan their journeys, remain alert on the road, and prioritise safety at all times.
The Sun
17-05-2025
- The Sun
UniSZA bans recreational activities in water-based areas after student tragically drowns
PETALING JAYA: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Terengganu has issued a notice, banning any recreational activities in water-based areas for its students. This comes after the incident involving its law faculty student, who was found drowned at Hutan Lipur Lata Payung picnic area yesterday. In a Facebook post, the university's sports and recreation center (PSR) announced that its students are prohibited from arranging recreational outings to places such as rivers and waterfalls. 'This takes effect immediately until further notice from UniSZA. 'This step has been taken for the safety and well-being of the UniSZA students,' it said. Yesterday, Abed Mifzal Azman, 22, a student from the campus, drowned after being swept away by strong currents while bathing in the river. His remains was found at 9.30pm by a search and rescue team with the help of villagers, about one kilometre from where he was first reported missing.
The Sun
17-05-2025
- The Sun
UniSZA bans water activities after student drowns
PETALING JAYA: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Terengganu has issued a notice, banning any recreational activities in water-based areas for its students. This comes after the incident involving its law faculty student, who was found drowned at Hutan Lipur Lata Payung picnic area yesterday. In a Facebook post, the university's sports and recreation center (PSR) announced that its students are prohibited from arranging recreational outings to places such as rivers and waterfalls. 'This takes effect immediately until further notice from UniSZA. 'This step has been taken for the safety and well-being of the UniSZA students,' it said. ALSO READ: UniSZA student found drowned at Lata Payung Yesterday, Abed Mifzal Azman, 22, a student from the campus, drowned after being swept away by strong currents while bathing in the river. His remains was found at 9.30pm by a search and rescue team with the help of villagers, about one kilometre from where he was first reported missing. READ MORE: Joy of eight friends on public holiday jaunt turns tragic as one drowns
