Boatman drowns while trying to save passenger who fell off inflatable boat

A boatman's attempt to help a passenger who had fallen off while getting into an inflatable boat turned into a tragedy when he drowned in Tasik Putrajaya, Precinct 3 today.

The body of the victim, Muhammad Fauzi Bagumbayan, 29, was found by rescuers at the scene at about 5pm.

Putrajaya district police chief ACP Rosly Hassan said the victim had taken two foreign students for sightseeing on a boat ride on the lake at about 12.45pm.

"One of the passengers (a male) fell into the lake and the victim who was not wearing a life jacket jumped in to save him but went missing and was feared to have drowned," he told reporters here today.

He said the two passengers later swam to the side of the lake and the incident was witnessed by two Alam Flora cleaners who happened to be working there, who then contacted the authorities for help.

Search and rescue operations were carried out by policemen, firefighters, paramedics and staff of Putrajaya Corporation, comprising 50 personnel.

Rosly said the body was sent to Putrajaya Hospital and the case had been classified as sudden death.

Meanwhile, the victim's brother, Mohd Fairul Ezwan Bagumbayan, 26, said Muhammad Fauzi, the third of five siblings, was a certified swimmer and diver and had been working with Syarikat Water Ski since March.

--BERNAMA