KOTA KINABALU: Rescuers have found the body of a 12-year-old girl who went missing while swimming in a river in Tuaran, about 40km from the state capital.
This is the sixth drowning incident involving children or teenagers in Sabah and Labuan this month.
Personnel from the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department found the remains of Syaza Wardiah Muesa at 11.47am.
Tuaran fire chief Mohd Abdul Qawie Abdul Gapar said the girl went missing while swimming with two other friends at a river at Kampung Serusop at 2.30pm on Wednesday (Aug 30).
"The victim was found at the location she was last seen and at a depth of 4.6m," he said when contacted on Thursday (Aug 31).
Medical officers from the Health Ministry involved in the search and rescue operation that started at 6.23am confirmed her death at the scene, he added.
"The body has been handed over to the police for the next course of action," he said, adding the operation ended at 12.10pm.
Syaza was washed away by strong currents.
A witness managed to rescue her two friends but was unable to reach the victim.
Recently, Romy Azlan, seven, drowned after the boat he was on capsized in Sandakan waters on Aug 1.
He was on the boat with his family when the vessel was sailing from Pulau Timbang jetty towards Kampung Mumiang when it hit an object in the river around 2.30pm, causing the boat to capsize.
Five people were rescued but the victim went missing and his body was found the next day.
Another teenage girl also drowned during an outing with her family at Sungai Kadamaian, Kampung Ratau in Kota Belud, about 120km from here on Monday (Aug 28).
The girl, Qiezlle Uyiko, 14, went missing after she was carried away by river currents at around 2.30pm.
On Aug 21, the body of two young anglers, who went missing at sea, were found after a 36-hour search in Labuan.
The remains of Yasin Johnar, 20, and Mohammad Shah, 19, were found later by local fishermen.
