Boy died of drowning in Balok

[Syamil]

Yesterday (Sunday)

He was with his friends trying to swim back from the main rock closest to the beach when it's high tide after a day of fishing. Another guy was lucky to be rescued by our friend, Boy, using his surfboard. Body resurfaced next morning.

I wasn't there when all this happened. It was a windless day due to the rain.

Looks like the beach has taken its first victim this year.

My deepest condolences goes to the families & friends involved. Rest in peace brother.

[38 mph]

The East Coast beaches claim several like this every year.
Tanjong Balau claimed 3 or 4 from the same family a few weeks ago. I used to sail there
most weekends(alone) during the monsoon when I lived in JB.
Its a pity that water sports and particularly swimming are not more widely pushed by the powers that be.
He joins old friend Tommy the drummer from the band at Coral Beach Hotel who drowned whilst out windsurfing at Balok  about 1990 or 1991.
Pray that they are all in a better place.

[P.J.]

Very sad to hear what happen. Our kids are always playing by the sea when we winsurf. In paper, when someone drown, they report is due to strong current and that person just disappear under surface.  How does drowning normally happens ? Can that poor kid swim ? Is it due to panic ??

[Syamil]

He can't swim. My friend said he saw him & the others jumping to wrong side of rock - facing NE, instead of straight to the beach. This is where the undercurrent is strongest. It all happens very quickly. By the time my friend saving the other guy, the boy already not moving, submerged in the water. Next thing he knows the body completely disappeared.

Drowning happens faster than most people think. Sure you can actually hold your breath for a few minutes, but once you breathe water into your lung, that's the end of it.