Nation mourns six divers who drowned in a bid to save a teenage boy.
Leaders nationwide today expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of six firemen who drowned while attempting to save a 17-year-old boy who had fallen into a disused mining pool last night.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was saddened to hear the news.
“I hope the families remain strong in this challenging period,” he told reporters this morning.
Dr Mahathir said that the government would look at any form of assistance to be extended to the families of the victims.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail described the six firemen as heroes.
“I am saddened by news of the six firemen who lost their lives during a search-and-rescue operation. My condolences to the families of these heroes,” she tweeted.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin retweeted Fire and Rescue department’s condolences message and posted: “Let us honour their sacrifice.”
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad also posted on his Twitter and said the news on the six firemen’s death was heart-wrenching.
“My condolences to the families for losing their loved ones. May the souls of the perished rest in peace,” he tweeted.
Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also took to Twitter and posted his condolences message to the victims’ families.
He said the sacrifices made by the six firemen will be remembered.
Sepang district police chief ACP Abdul Aziz Ali said the six firemen from the Fire and Rescue Department’s Water Rescue Unit (PPDA) were caught in a strong “whirlpool” while searching for a teenager who fell into a disused mining pool at Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong, at about 5pm.
It was learnt that the youth and two friends were about to start their fishing activities when the teenaged boy fell into the pool.
His friends then informed nearby residents to contact the Fire and Rescue Department.
Abdul Aziz said the divers had followed all standard operating procedures in donning complete diving equipment and were tied to a single rope.
He said the unit went down to the pond at 9.15pm but a strong current occurred in the area causing the victims to spin in the water while their equipment came off.
He said the victims had struggled in the water for about 30 minutes while other personnel tried to rescue them. They were all unconscious by the time they were pulled out of the water.
Abdul Aziz said the medical team at the scene had tried to save the victims by performing CPR, but to no avail.
The search-and-rescue (SAR) to locate the teenager, Mohd Ilham Fahmi Mohd Azam, resumed at 7.30am today along 40 metres of the banks of the mining pool with a team from the Port Klang Marine Operations Force.
“The current was still strong in the mining pool today and the team of divers will assess the situation before continuing the operations,” said Selangor Fire and Rescue Department Zone 5 Operations Commander Izman Adnan.
Ilham’s father has conveyed his condolences to the families of the six divers who died while searching for his son.
Mohd Azzam Naim, 46, said he was shocked when informed of the situation.
“I never expected the operations to find my son to turn into such a tragedy,” he told reporters this morning.
According to Azzam, the mining pool was not fenced and was a fishing haven for local residents as well as foreigners.
“In fact, two months ago it was reported that two men drowned there. I advised my son not to come here anymore, especially now that it rains frequently. I did not think he would come here with his two friends,” he said.
Azzam said his son asked for his permission to go out at about 4pm yesterday.
He only knew that the boy had slipped and fallen into the mining pool after he was told by another son at around 5pm.
“I hope my son is found soon,” he said.
Four of the divers who died were from the Port Klang fire and rescue station has been identified as Mohd Fatah Hashim, 34; Izatul Akma Wan Ibrahim, 32; Mazlan Omarbaki, 25; and Yahya Ali, 24.
The other two – Adnan Othman, 33; and Muhammad Hifdzul Malik Shaari, 25 – were from the Shah Alam station.
More than 500 people attended the funeral prayers for the six victims at the Section 15 Fire and Rescue Station today.
Family members, fire and rescue personnel, senior government officers and several leaders attended the prayers held at about 9 am.
The six firemen were accorded full ceremonial honours in a final send-off after the completion of their autopsy at Hospital Serdang and their remains were brought to the fire station at 8.40 am.
One of the six victims is expected to be buried at his village in Tawau on Thursday (Oct 4) night.
The remains of Mazlan Omarbaki, 25, is scheduled to be sent back from Kuala Lumpur on a 2.40pm flight and is expected to arrive at the Tawau Airport by 5.30pm.
Tawau Fire and Rescue Department chief Ismadi Ismail said preparations were being done to receive Mazlan’s remains and a final tribute will be paid to the fireman.
“Our team from here will be receiving his body and sending it back to the family at Kg Tinagat Tawau,” he said.
Yesterday’s tragedy which saw six divers from the PPDA drown was the first such case in the Fire and Rescue Department history, said director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.
He said before this, there were very few fatal accidents involving firemen.
He related that their on-site supervisor confirmed that the six had used ropes to tie themselves together to buoys and in case one of them fell.
But they have had to improvise their tactics due to the conditions at the mining pool during the SAR.
And then there was the heavy downpour in the area, which raised water levels in the pool and resulted in strong undercurrents in the depths.
“They had formed a human chain in an attempt to reach a nearby floodgate where they believed the drowned victim was located but one of the personnel missed his footing as they traversed the water.
“Strong undercurrents caused by heavy rain earlier then dragged all of them into a whirlpool where they subsequently drowned
“We carried out CPR but could not save them. This is a very sad day for us. (The tragedy) involved so many of our employees,” Hamdan said.
Asked why SAR operations were conducted at night and not called off due to limited illumination, Hamdan said usually such operations would be called off but could be disregarded if someone’s life was at stake.
“During an emergency, we will continue with our SAR operations depending on the situation.
“However we believed we must improve the existing SOP to avoid a repeat of this tragedy,” he said.
He also clarified that the personnel did not attempt a dive rescue but were merely conducting surface rescue when they were pulled into the water by strong undercurrents.
He added that the department would look at every aspect of welfare for the victims’ families, including in terms of compensation and insurance.
Meanwhile, the Selangor government is ordering the immediate closure of the mining pool in Puchong.
Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari said he is ordering the Sepang Municipal Council to seal the mining pool perimeter after the ongoing SAR operations end.
“This is not the first incident that has taken place at the location, according to reports I have received.
“Therefore I am instructing the local government to step up security controls in the area and if necessary restrict the public from the perimeter,” he said after attending the funeral prayers.
Amirudin expressed his grief at the loss of the rescuers and the state will contribute RM20,000 to each of the victims’ families as a token of appreciation for their services.