4 boys die trying to retrieve ball from drain

Four boys believed to have fallen into a drain while attempting to retrieve a football died in Taman Desa Kayangan, Sungai Karangan, yesterday evening.

Kulim police chief Syamsul Sinring said two of the boys died at the scene while the other two succumbed to their injuries en route to Kulim Hospital.

They were Zafril Arsyad Azrin, 12; Iman Nuruddin Khairol Anuar, 10; and step-siblings Aeril Aziz Zafis, 12, and Arif Naufan Abdullah, eight.

“Police received a call from a member of the public at 7.45pm yesterday, reporting that four victims had drowned in a retention pond at Taman Desa Kayangan,” he said in a statement today.

All four boys lived near Taman Desa Kayangan.

According to their mothers, the boys left home to play football, and the ball reportedly fell into a drain.

“The victims are believed to have attempted to retrieve the ball before falling into the drain,” Syamsul said.

The drain was estimated to be about 10 feet deep and six feet wide. Syamsul said there were no witnesses to the incident.

The bodies were taken to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar last night for post-mortem examinations.