DUNGUN: Two students from University of Seoul in Korea drowned at Lubuk Kain waterfall, while swimming with five friends at Lubuk Kain waterfall in Hulu Dungun, Terengganu.
The deceased, Muhammad Danial Danish Kamal from Taman Astana View in Kuantan and Nor Mukhriz Noor Mohamad from Perumahan Guru in Felda Bukit Kuantan, both 20, had just returned to Malaysia on a two-week break.
Their friend, Mohd Azim Azad, 20, said they left Kuantan around 8am and began swimming at the location at around 1pm.
"While swimming, the three of us were swept away by a strong current. At first, they (Muhammad Danial Danish and Nor Mukhriz) managed to hold onto my hand, but the strong current caused them to lose their grip.
"I was fortunate to catch a life buoy thrown by a villager, but both of them sank to the bottom.
"Although I am grateful to be safe, I am sad that I could not save my two friends," he said.
Dungun Police Chief Superintendent Maizura Abdul Kadir said the bodies of the two victims were found by villagers who assisted in the search and operation at a depth of about 10 metres from the water's surface, not far from where they were reported to have drowned.
The bodies were sent to Dungun Hospital for a post mortem.