TUMPAT: An 11-year-old schoolboy who went missing while swimming with friends in Sungai Kelantan here yesterday was found drowned.
The body of Muhammad Aqil Rifqi Mohd Mazri was discovered by a boat operator about 11am today. He alerted the police.
The victim's friend, Muhammad Sazali Johari, 10, said three of them, including Aqil and another friend known as Tuah, went for a swim in the river at Kampung Pasir Pekan Hilir yesterday morning.
"We cycled on separate bicycles and arrived there at 11.30am. After about half an hour of swimming, I saw Aqil encounter difficulties.
"He (Aqil) was a few metres away from us at that time. Tuah and l tried to help him but failed.
"We went back home and did not tell our parents about the incident, as we believed Aqil would return home later."
Aqil's mother, Siti Nor Mohamad, 40, said she was not aware that her son had gone to the river.
"I was at the hospital taking care of my husband, who is in a coma due to the bleeding in the head.
"I only learned about the incident after receiving a call from my mother asking me to return home immediately.
"Together with family members and other villagers, I started searching for him.
"We were only informed by his friends that he went missing in the river this morning."
Aqil's body was found several metres from the spot where he disappeared.
The body has been sent to Tumpat Hospital for a post-mortem and is expected to be buried at the Kampung Paloh cemetery this evening.