Elderly woman drowns after boat capsizes at Tasik Kenyir

An elderly woman, Wan Esah Wan Daud, 63, tragically drowned after the boat she was traveling in hit a tree stump and capsized near Gua Bewah in Tasik Kenyir, Hulu Terengganu, yesterday. The victim, originally from Felda Chiku in Kelantan, had come to the lake for a holiday with 27 family members. At 11am, she and three other relatives boarded a boat from the houseboat at Tasik Kenyir, heading towards Taman Negara.

Upon reaching the incident location around 4pm, they disembarked from the moored houseboat at Gua Bewah to enjoy some sightseeing by boat. Unfortunately, the boat struck a tree stump, causing the victim to fall into the water and become trapped underneath the overturned vessel. Despite efforts by her son to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), there were no signs of recovery.

The victim was subsequently rescued by other family members and brought to the houseboat. She was then transported by a Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) boat across the lake to the mainland at Tasik Kenyir, where she was confirmed dead due to drowning. Superintendent Sharudin Abdul Wahab of the Hulu Terengganu police urged the public to always prioritize safety during recreational activities, particularly in lakes and rivers.