IPOH, Feb 13 — The search and rescue operation (SAR) to find three friends who went fishing and swimming yesterday evening in Sungai Sempit, Segari, near Pantai Remis ended after their bodies were found at 5.05pm today.

The body of T. Eishwarpillai, 14, the third victim in the tragedy, was found floating 100 metres (m) from where they were last seen.

Perak Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Sayani Saidon said the victim’s body was found by the members of the SAR team after they implemented the figure-eight loop technique, using a JBPM boat.

Earlier today, the body of the second victim, G. Sarath, 16, was found stuck in a fishing net at about 12.40pm.

The body of the first victim, Chew Darumaraj, 14, was found at 9.05 am today about 500m from the location that he and his friends were reported missing at 3.26pm yesterday.

In the incident last evening, the three victims had gone fishing to the location, before they decided to swim in the river.

Manjung district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamed Nordin Abdullah said an attempt to save a friend, who had been swept away while swimming in the river, is believed to be the cause that led to the disappearance of the three teenagers in the river. — Bernama