Two Malaysian siblings, aged 6 and 8, drown after car rolls into Port Dickson river

PORT DICKSON - Two Malaysian siblings drowned after their family car, which was parked along Sungei Linggi in Port Dickson, suddenly rolled into the river on Sept 4.

Port Dickson Police Superintendent Maslan Udin said the eight-year-old boy and his six-year-old sister were resting in the car with a couple in their 40s, believed to be their parents, along the riverbank before the incident.

“Based on preliminary investigations, the man got out of the car, which was parked below the Tanjung Agas bridge, to have a cigarette, and the car suddenly began rolling towards the river.

“The car engine was switched off at the time of the incident,” he said.

Supt Maslan added that passers-by managed to pull the woman out in time, but the children remained trapped in the vehicle.

He said rescue teams from the Fire and Rescue Department, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the Marine Department immediately launched a rescue operation.

The girl’s body was recovered at about 1.24pm, and her brother’s at about 1.47pm, he said.

“Medical personnel tried to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on them, but both were confirmed dead.”

Supt Maslan said the bodies were found in the front passenger seat of the overturned vehicle, which was 4m underwater.

The car’s windows were closed while the driver’s door was open.

“We were told they have been here the past two to three days just to relax and holiday,” he said, adding that the children’s bodies were sent to the Port Dickson Hospital for a post-mortem.

It is learnt that the family is from Putrajaya.

The case, he said, is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Supt Maslan said the car will also be sent for an inspection to determine why it suddenly rolled into the river.

“We need to know if this was caused by a technical problem,” he said, adding that the car will be winched out at low tide. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK