2 Children In West Pasaman Died In River Current

SIMPANG EMPAT - Two children in Jorong Koto Sawah Nagari Parit, Koto Balingka District, West Pasaman Regency, West Sumatra, were found dead as a result of drifting in a river.

Melintang Valley Police Chief Iptu Zulfikar said the two victims were Muhammad Bani Alfatih (4) and Muhammad Zaid (3).

He explained that on Wednesday (29/6) at around 13.00 WIB, the two victims went to the garden with the victim's parents, Zuraida Mahmud and Khilijah.

Then they were in the garden. After that they went to cross the Batang Sikabau River Batang Sikabau River Jorong PT. BPP Unit II is near the location by taking a pontoon or raft to cross the river.

Arriving in the middle of the river, the pontoon rope that served as a barrier to the pontoon was cut off, causing the pontoon to overturn so that the two victims and their parents fell and were swept away by the river current.

"Zuraida and Kholijah can swim so they can save themselves while their two children can't save themselves," he said, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, June 29.

Furthermore, Zuraida and Kholijah tried to find victims, but were not found.

Then came another resident, Ajas and Zaki, about to fish, then Zuraida asked Ajas and Zaki for help to find victims who had drowned in the river.

After a search of approximately 20 minutes later, Muhammad Bani Alfatih (4) was found in the river near the pontoon with his neck wrapped in a pontoon rope in a dead condition.

"Not long after, Muhammad Zahid was also found dead about 10 meters from the scene of the incident," he said.

According to him, after finding the victim's body, his party together carried out an evacuation of the victim.

The victim was taken to his residence in Joring Jorong Village, Koto Sawah Nagari Ujung Gading, Lembah Melintang District.

"The victim's parents also made a statement not to do the autopsy and accept the incident as a disaster," he said.