The PD International Challenge event today (July 15) has been marred with two incidents related to its swimming event.
Earlier this morning at about 8am, Tharm Wai Weng from Penang, who was taking part in the event, drowned after covering about 750m of the distance. According to DSP Mohd Faizal Mohd Noor, the Fire and Rescue Department personnel who was on standby tried to perform resuscitation but the victim did not respond. Immediately after that, he was rushed to the Port Dickson Hospital but later pronounced dead.
Another incident occurred after that where a 42-year-old participant from Hong Kong, Jeffrey Yuen Chi Yuen, went missing and he failed to return to the beach after completing his swimming event.
“His wife lodged a report with the organisers at 11.55am, after failing to find him at the beach, in their hotel room and in the dining area,” said Director of the Fire and Rescue Department Negeri Sembilan.
“A bicycle which he was supposed to have used in the next event was also in the same place and not used. In fact, his water bottle was also full and these indicated that he did not take part in the cycling event,” he added.
After the report was lodged at the mobile police unit, a search was mounted for the victim.
Youth and Sports Minister, Syed Saddiq told Bernama that a committee will be set up to probe the incidents of the Port Dickson International Triathlon.
The committee will be headed by the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali.
“The committee will look into this among others, if there was any breach of condition or laws,” he added.
Condolences to the family of the victims.
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