Family outing at beach goes awry, one son swept away by waves and one son warded in the ICU

GEORGE TOWN: “I saw my son waving his hands and I swam towards him to help.”

“At the same time, my eldest boy also swam towards his brother to help. That was the last time I saw him.”

Abdul Gani Saad, 51, was relating the anxious moments just before his eldest child, Muhamad Firdaus, 18, was swept away by the waves at Miami Beach in Batu Ferringhi here today.

Abdul Gani said the whole family had came from Bukit Mertajam for a picnic in Batu Ferringhi at about 10.30am.

“My boys and I were bathing in the sea. Two hours later, I saw Muhamad Naim, 15, gasping for breath and I began to swim towards him.

“In the chaotic moment, I managed to push Naim nearer to shore. However, Firdaus was swept away by the waves,” he said when met at the scene.

He said Naim was rushed to the Penang Hospital and has been warded at the intensive care unit (ICU) to remove excess water from his lungs.

Met at the hospital, Noorain Md Noor, 48, said the sea was calm initially but the current got stronger all of a sudden, pulling her son deeper into sea.

“All I could do was shout for help. Thankfully, the others there managed to pull Naim’s hands to safety but not Firdaus.

Noorain said the two brothers had persuaded their father to go for a picnic the night before, although he disagreed as their house was under renovation.

“I did not expect their desire to go for a picnic to end in a tragedy. Firdaus is still missing while Naim is in the ICU.

Meanwhile, northeast district deputy police chief Superintendent Izwan Abd Karim confirmed the incident.

He said a search operation is currently underway in search of Firdaus.