14-Year-Old Paddles Out To Sea To Save Drowning Girl While Adults Hang Back In Fear
According to the high school student, the public did not dare help the girl due to the strong current and strong waves.
By May Vin Ang — 20 Dec 2022, 05:51 PM
A 14-year-old boy heroically saved a girl from drowning at a beach in Terengganu last Friday, 16 December
According to Harian Metro, in the incident that occurred at about 5.30pm, the 13-year-old victim was said to be swimming at Penunjuk Kijal beach near Kemaman when she was swept away by the strong currents.
Her family members were having a picnic on the beach when the accident happened.
Muhammad Zulfikal Asmadi showing the beach where he saved a girl from drowning.
Image via Rosli Ilham/Harian MetroNot far away, 14-year-old Muhammad Zulfikal Asmadi said he was talking to a group of fishermen when he heard a scream
"The distance between the wharf and the location of the incident was about 200m and initially I did not notice people were picnicking and swimming there," he told Harian Metro after the incident.
"Suddenly, I heard a scream from someone crying for help, so I ran to the scene and saw that someone was drowning."
According to the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kijal student, at the time, only the father of the girl had tried to rush into the sea, while the rest of the public did not dare help the girl due to the strong, one-metre-high waves.
Thinking quickly, Zulfikal said he asked a friend to help him carry a sampan from the wharf to the sea
"I lost my fear at that time because of my intention to save the victim, and I paddled the sampan hard towards the drowning kid," he said, adding that he used all his energy to row the small boat against the large waves.
The eldest of four brothers said he also had to be careful when approaching the victim so as not to hurt her because the sampan was being thrown about by the strong currents.
Thankfully, he managed to reach the girl in time and told her to hold on firmly to the sampan as he rowed back to shore.
The girl was taken to a nearby health clinic before heading to Kemaman Hospital for further treatment
Meanwhile, Zulfikal said he immediately went home because he was exhausted by the rescue.
"That was the first time in my life I saved a person from drowning," he said.
However, he hoped that it would be his last, as he also cautioned visitors against swimming at the beach during monsoon season.
"There have been many lives lost here due to drowning and I don't wish to see incidents like these happen again in the future."
A video of Zulfikal heroically rowing to the victim's rescue has since made the rounds on social media.
A post in particular by Facebook page Info Bencana Terengganu has garnered over 380,000 views, with netizens praising the boy for his quick action and bravery.
