Six Family Members Found Dead In Car Pulled From River In Jitra

JITRA, July 7 (Bernama) -- A married couple and their four children were found dead in a car that was pulled from Sungai Korok, in Kampung Kemboja, near here, this morning.

Kubang Pasu district police chief Supt Mohd Radzi Abdul Rahim said preliminary investigations found that the car had veered straight into the river, based on grass markings observed at the scene.

He said police had received a report on the family’s disappearance after one of the victims’ relatives lodged a report last Saturday.

The dead were identified as Muhammad Azim Izat Ishak, 32; his wife Nurul Hidayah Khadijah Razman Efendi, 31; and their children Putra Rayyan Nur Izzat, 9; Hawa Adriana, 8; Annayla Humaira, 7; and six-month-old Tuah Haydar.

“Initial findings showed that all the victims had left the house at around 5.30 am (Saturday) before they became unreachable. Police opened a missing persons investigation, and this morning we received a call from a member of the public who claimed to have seen a vehicle submerged in Sungai Korok,” Mohd Radzi said.

“With the help of the Fire and Rescue Department, the vehicle was retrieved, and the six individuals previously reported missing were found inside. Their bodies were taken to the Forensic Department at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB) for post-mortem,” he said when met at HSB today.

He added that checks at the scene found the car had likely veered off the road on its own, as there were no signs of a collision, no skid marks, and no car debris found at the location.

“At this time, investigations indicate that no other vehicles were involved. The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987,” said Mohd Radzi.

Muhammad Azim's sister, Nor Syafiqah Ishak, 28, said they started searching for the family along a stretch of the river soon after they were reported missing.

“We found no clues because the river is big, deep and murky.

“This morning, when the water receded slightly, someone spotted the edge of a car bonnet, and we all rushed over,” she told reporters at the scene.

According to Nor Syafiqah, the family of six had spent the night at a relative’s house in Taman Seri Aman in Jitra, before reportedly leaving for home in Jerlun at around 5.30 am on Saturday.

“But when they never arrived, we started to worry and tried calling and searching for them. By midday, when there was still no sign of them, we filed a police report,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kedah Fire and Rescue Department Zone 1 chief Ahmad Aminuddin Abd Rahim said they received a call regarding the car in the river at 8.38 am.

“It was reported that a Proton Iswara Sedan was in the river and that six victims — a man, a woman, three children and an infant — were inside the vehicle.

"The recovery operation was completed by 11 am and identification of the victims was carried out by next-of-kin,” he said. 

He added that according to rescue personnel, all the victims were found in the rear passenger seat, and the vehicle’s windows had to be broken to retrieve the bodies.

“The river is six metres deep, and tyre marks, believed to be from braking, were found about one metre from the riverbank,” he said.

-- BERNAMA