Teenager drowns at Karambunai beach near Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU: A family outing at a beach near the city turned tragic when a teenager drowned.

The victim, identified as Mazlan Abdullah, 18, was found dead at around 1pm, Wednesday (Jan 1).

Kota Kinabalu Fire and Rescue Department chief Ordine Gilu said they received a distress call at 12.22pm, about a possible drowning at Karambunai beach near Jalan Sepanggar.

However, the boy’s family found his body first, before the department arrived on the scene, he said.

He said the family had brought the body to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Ordine said firemen called the hospital for confirmation of the body being sent there before wrapping up the search operation.

“We were informed that the teenager was declared dead at the hospital and we ended the operation on site at 1.37pm,” he said.