Locals helping the authorities to search for victims of the drowning tragedy at Pantai Pandak, Cendering here yesterday, found the body of the fourth victim at 5.25pm today.

The body of S Moghan, 21, was found washed ashore at the beach and has been sent to the the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hopsital here for a post-mortem.

Kuala Terengganu fire and rescue assistant superindentent, Khairul Anwar Ahmad said the sea search operation for another victim, A Vijay Kumar, 18, had to be called off at 6pm because of rough seas and failing light.

"However, we will be combing the shore non-stop. The sea search operation will resume at first light," he told reporters at the scene.

The sea search effort is being conducted by personnel of the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency with the help of local fisherman.

A scuba unit of the fire and rescue department recovered the body of the third victim in the tragedy, S Reymond, 26, at 12.30pm today about 25 metres from the scene of the tragedy.  

Reymond was the brother of two other victims of the tragedy, Kumutha, 28, and Roshini, 16, whose bodies were recovered yesterday.

Another victim, G Mathevii, 19, is still receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital.

The victims, all of whom are from Kampung Jawa, Klang, Selangor had come to the beach for a picnic at 2pm yesterday.

Five tried to help friend

Meanwhile, Terengganu deputy police chief Datuk Hamzah Jamil said the tragedy happened when a member of the group got into difficulties while swimming at the beach.

"Realising what had happened, the five others in the group tried to help but failed," he said when met at the scene.

According to him, huge waves and a sticky sea bottom were among the factors that contributed to the tragedy.

"The local authorities have placed signboards warning that this spot is dangerous for swimming," he said.

V Shanmugan, 47, the father of the three siblings who drowned, said he was devastated by what had happened.

"I had spoken to them on the phone yesterday telling them not to go down to the sea. Half an hour later someone called me to say all three had gone missing," the distraught father told reporters.

- Bernama