What's the worst that could happen? Very bad things indeed.
Two Singaporeans holidaying in Malaysia are swept away at waterfall
Guide tries to save them, but drowns
The New Paper 10 Sep 08;
AN outing turned horribly wrong for a group of Singaporean teachers holidaying in Malaysia on Sunday.
China Press reported that the group of nine were at a waterfall in Endau-Rompin National Park in Johor, Malaysia.
Two of them were swept away by a flash flood and their native guide drowned while trying to rescue them.
The group, which had first arrived in the park on Friday, were reportedly enjoying their last day there.
They had reached the waterfall around noon, where they stopped to eat lunch, said their Singaporean tour guide, Mr Su Da Li, 57.
The two men had jumped into the water to swim.
However, a flash flood caused sudden rapids in the pool, which swept the men away.
They were unable to swim to land as both suffered from cramps in their legs.
Upon hearing their cries for help, their 31-year-old native tour guide who had led them jumped into the water.
Mr Su said: 'The two men were dragged from the left side of the pool to the right, where there was a rope attached.
'They clung on to the rope while the local guide swam towards them. However, before he reached them, he was swept away by the strong currents.'
Mr Su then jumped into the water to rescue the two men.
By that time, the other guide was nowhere to be seen.
A team of some 20 men, consisting of villagers and men from the fire brigade, set out to search for the guide.
However, a heavy afternoon storm made it difficult for the rescue team to even reach the accident site.
The team was held up by muddy roads caused by the storm, which made the two-hour journey from the village even trickier.
They reached the scene at 8pm when it was too dark to begin search operations.
It was only yesterday at around 1pm that the tour guide's body was recovered from under 11m of water.
Shocked
The shocked members of the expedition were too upset to talk to the media.
China Press reported that while the two men had been in the water, a slight drizzle had already started.
The dead tour guide had reportedly advised the men to come up to the shore, but they did not heed his advice.
It is understood that the two men, who escaped near-death, were so upset over their guide's death they hid in their resort to cry after the tragedy.
The newspaper reported that the tour guide was someone who was very professional and responsible.
The night before he died, he reportedly kept the Singaporean group entertained by catching little animals for them to admire.
He jumped in without hesitating
Nazdrah Jamal, The New Paper 3 Oct 08;
WHEN he saw two Singaporeans struggling in a swirling pool near a waterfall, he wasted no time.
The Malaysian nature guide jumped in fully clothed, with shoes on, and managed to help the two men to safety.
Then tragedy struck. Exhausted and caught by undercurrents, Mr Sarip Samaon disappeared under the water.
His body was found the next day, wedged between some rocks and debris at the bottom of the waterfall near where he was last seen.
The incident happened on 7 Sep while Mr Sarip and a freelance Singaporean guide were taking a Singapore group around the Endau-Rompin National Park, near the Johor-Pahang border in Malaysia.
Friendly and caring
The Singaporean guide, Mr Sutari Supari, 57, recalling his friend's heroic deed, said: 'I'm very sad over the unexpected tragedy. I've known Sarip for a while, and he was a very friendly, professional and caring guide.'
On that fateful day, the guides and the eight-member nature tour group had set out from Lubok Tapah HQ base camp at 9.15am and reached Takah Tinggi falls at 12.30pm.
Mr Roy Khong Hon Teck, 25, and MrAndy Khoo Hock Ang, 23, went into the water, apparently against Mr Sarip's advice, reported the Malaysian newspaper China Press.
About half an hour later, three women in the group saw the men struggling in the water, suffering from leg cramps.
'They were trying to swim away from the falls, but were pulled back by the undercurrent towards the falls again,' said MrSutari. The undercurrent was due to heavy rain earlier that day.
Mr Sutari recalled how Mr Sarip immediately jumped into the water and struggled to pull the men away from the falls.
Finally, the three men drifted towards the middle of the fall's pool, where there was a long rope across, with one end tied to a rock.
While the two men managed to hold onto the rope, Mr Sarip disappeared, apparently pulled under water by the strong current.
Using the rope, another member of the group, Mr Vincent Lim, pulled the two exhausted men to a submerged tree log wedged across the pool where Mr Sutari was standing.
After getting the two men on to land, the group searched the area for an hour but could not find Mr Sarip.
Mr Sutari used Mr Sarip's walkie-talkie to contact Lubok Tapak HQ for help. A rescue party arrived an hour later but had trouble searching in the dark.
The dreaded news came at 1pm the next day when the team found Mr Sarip's body. The body was sent back to Lubok Tapah 'amid crying and wailing from the deceased's relatives', said Mr Sutari.
China Press reported that the Singaporean group was so devastated by the tragedy that they refused to speak to the press and remained in their resort to mourn. MrKhoo and Mr Khong declined to be interviewed by The New Paper.
The group collected some money and handed it to Mr Juki Sungkai, Mr Sarip's uncle and the group's cook, to be given to Mr Sarip's wife and four young children.
Mr Sutari said those on jungle treks should not swim in rivers or waterfall pools because of strong undercurrents. It is also important that they follow the instructions of local guides.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1 Mr Khong and Mr Khoo are swimming near the waterfall when they get in trouble. They suffer leg cramps and struggle as strong undercurrents pull them underwater.
2 Mr Sarip jumps into the water with his clothes and shoes on.
3 Mr Sarip helps the two men to a long rope tied across the pool. As they hold on to the rope, Mr Sarip is dragged down by the undercurrents.
