FREELANCE canoe instructor Chua Ee Tuck drowned while coaching some secondary school students last Friday at MacRitchie Reservoir.

According to the police, officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force received a call at about 6.45pm.

When they arrived 15 minutes later, the 35-year-old Singapore Polytechnic graduate had already stopped breathing. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

At the wake yesterday, his mother, Madam Choong Kam Choo, 64, said she found it hard to accept his sudden death.

'He was such a good son, and he was always responsible. If he wasn't coming home for dinner, he would SMS me ahead of time. Whenever I fell sick, he would take care of me,' she said in between sobs.

She added that she could not understand how the tragedy had happened because he was always careful. He cycled and jogged regularly and was a good swimmer.

About 50 students from the National Junior College canoeing team, including some who had already graduated, attended the wake yesterday. Mr Chua had been coaching the team since last year.

One student, who declined to be named, said:'We're going to miss him. He was very patient, and like a friendly buddy to us.'