Published on: Tuesday, January 08, 2013 |
Datu Almuraz Datu Enyong from Kg Penempatan Telipok and Arjibra Zulkipli from Kg Telipok, had gone swimming with another friend known as Aldin, also aged 20, between noon and 4pm on Sunday.
It was learnt that all three were swept into the open sea by strong currents.
However, only Aldin managed to save himself.
According to his brother, Almupti, aged 26, Almuraz was the eighth out of nine siblings and was supposed to go back to college in the peninsula on Saturday after spending his month's semester break here.
"We initially planned to spend our weekend at Simpang Mengayau in Kudat but Almuraz suggested that we go to Pantai Dalit for a picnic since he'll be going back to college soon," said Almupti, adding that there were seven of them in the group.
Recalling the incident, he said, they were about to go home at 4pm when Almuraz and two other friends decided to wash themselves in the water.
"I told them not to go too far out in the sea because of the choppy conditions," he said, adding that Almuraz and Arjibra had no swimming skills unlike Aldin.
"I saw them standing waist deep in the water and in the blink of an eye I saw them being swept away into the open sea by strong waves," he said.
Almupti said he managed to throw a float at Aldin who managed to swim closer to shore.
However he failed to save his brother and Arjibra who were swept too far out to sea.
Arjibra's father, Zulkipli Mohamad, aged 49, who was clearly shocked, said he just got back from a reception when he received the news from neighbours at 5pm on Sunday.
District Police Chief DSP Zaharudin Rasip said a search and rescue operation was mounted following a distress call on Sunday.
Friends and family members of both victims were also seen joining in the search together with members from the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department and police among others.
