3 girls drown in ditch

Kota Kinabalu: Three girls died of suspected drowning after falling into a large ditch in Kg Bunga Raya, Kepayan, near here at 2.30pm on Monday.

The victims were two Suluk children aged 10 and 12 and a Filipino aged 5. All had family ties.

It was learnt that the mini police station at Queen Elizabeth 1 Hospital (HQE 1) received information from the hospital’s emergency department that two girls were being treated at HQE 1 and another is at HQE 2 suspected of drowning. Officers and personnel of the Tg Aru police station went to the scene to investigate.

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“Based on witness testimony, it was determined that the incident occurred in the large ditch area of Kg Bunga Raya Kepayan, which is quite remote and located about 200 metres from the nearest village’s houses.

“The scene has long grass and the ditch is less than 15 feet wide, with a water depth of four to five feet.

“It is believed that the drain water was high during the incident,” sources said. The three victims lived next door to a squatter house in the village. Further investigation revealed that all three were playing on the ditch bank when one of them slipped and fell into it. “The second and third victims attempted to save the first by jumping into the ditch, but all drowned because they were not good swimmers.

“A teenage male who witnessed the incident ran to the scene and helped the victims ashore before being taken to the hospital by ambulance and private car.

“However, all three were pronounced dead upon arrival,” he said.

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