KAMPAR: Police have taken statements from 19 people in the investigation into the drowning of three Public Works Department (PWD) employees while rafting yesterday.
District police chief Superintendent Mohamad Nazri Daud said today these include the water rafting participants and the guides.
"Based on the post-mortem conducted at Kampar Hospital, the cause of death was asphyxia secondary to drowning."
He added that the case has been classified as sudden death.
Continuous rain yesterday caused the water level in Sungai Jahang to rise rapidly, which is believed to have caused a rafting boat carrying six PWD members and one guide to overturn.
Nazri said all passengers were swept away by the strong currents, and three victims drowned.
The victims are Mohamad Khairul Hakim Hamidi, 37, and Muhammad Ikram Abdul Bari, 29, both from Langkawi PWD, and the female victim, Suhaili Mat Saad, 47, was with Seberang Perai Tengah PWD.