Kuala perlis: Two boys drowned while bathing in an irrigation canal in Kampung Padang Besar Selatan, Kuala Perlis, this evening. In a statement, Kangar deputy police chief Supt Baeyah Abdul Wahab said police received information about the incident at 4.40 pm.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Iskandar Zulkarnain Mohd Faizal, 8, was pronounced dead at the Kuala Perlis Health Clinic, while Muhammad Haikal Hakim Mohd Yuhanis, 10, was confirmed dead at the Red Zone of Hospital Tuanku Fauziah. The boys were believed to have initially gone to play football between 3.30 pm and 4 pm. However, their older brothers later found them playing in the irrigation canal near the field.

Baeyah explained that one of the boys swam towards the middle of the canal, appeared exhausted, and struggled before starting to drown. The other boy jumped in to assist but was also dragged under. One of the victims’ brothers attempted a rescue but was unsuccessful due to the canal’s depth.

Both victims were later pulled out unconscious by villagers and taken to the Health Clinic before being referred to the hospital. The canal, located near a residential area, had recently been deepened to improve water flow and was about two meters deep. The case has been classified as sudden death.