GUA MUSANG: “Only two of us are left. The rest are all dead.”
That was the chilling admission by 10-year-old Noreen Yaacob, who was among two children found alive after enduring 48 harrowing days in the thick jungle of Pos Tohoi, here.
Noreen and Mirsudiar Aluj, 11, were found yesterday after going missing with five others from their school, SK Pos Tohoi more than a month ago.
They were found by rescuers yesterday afternoon.
The claim that the two girls were the only survivors was relayed by Noreen to her mother, Midah Angah, 38, at the Gua Musang Hospital, where Noreen was being warded.
The girls were later taken to the Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II (HRPZ II) for further treatment.
Siti Kasim, a lawyer looking after the welfare of the families of the missing children, said Noreen had told her mother that the first child to die was Juvida David, 7, followed by Haikal Yacoob, 8, Sasa Sobrie, 8, Ika Ayel, 9 and Linda Rosli, 8.
Noreen, she said, claimed that all the children had died of starvation and fatigue. Haikal, the little girl claimed, had died while trying to cross the main river, Sungai Perias.
“Noreen also claimed that a person gave her and Mirsudiar food, which helped them survive in the dense jungle. We do not know just how true her claims are, including about this person who fed them.
“She is in a state of extreme exhaustion and could not say more about how they went missing,” said Siti.
Meanwhile, Kelantan police chief Datuk Mazlan Lazim said his officers were informed that the remains of Ika Ayel, 9, was thrown into the river by the survivors.
Ika’s remains were found together with Noreen and Mirsudiar.
“We still do not know the fate of the remaining two children, if they are alive or otherwise. Nevertheless, we will step up our search for the kids.
“Our focus will be along the length of Sungai Perias. We hope we can find the remaining children soon,” he said.
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