Boy, 14, drowns off Changi Beach Park, family thought he was out studying

Singapore — A 14-year-old boy drowned off Changi Beach Park on Saturday (Aug 22) and the news came as a shock to his family members because they thought he was out studying with friends.

According to a report on asiaone.com, the family members of Secondary 2 student Putera Muhammad Indra Shazrine Suzaini did not know that he had gone to the beach.

Witnesses said online that there had been about six boys at the beach. Two were in the water when the rest began shouting for help.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) received a phone call requesting “water rescue assistance” at the beach at around 3.30 pm that day. On arrival at the park, SCDF officers found one person on the shore and no signs of the second person.
While the first victim was being checked by SCDF paramedics and eventually taken to Changi General Hospital, officers decided to dispatch divers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team to do an underwater search for the second person.

The divers managed to find the boy’s body in the water about 15 metres from shore. An SCDF paramedic pronounced the boy dead at the scene.

According to the asiaone.com article, the boy’s mother told Lianhe Wanbao that her son did not know how to swim.

The boy’s step-granduncle, Mr Noor Azman Marwi, 56, said: “He was a very quiet boy, didn’t like to talk. But he was very good to his mother and father. I saw him during gatherings or whenever I visited their home.”

The boy’s step-father, Mr Putra Muhd Arffi, 40, said he was the eldest of his wife’s three boys. The other two are 13 and one.

He added: “I don’t know much about what happened. I just know he was there with some of his friends from school. I also know there were some fishermen nearby who also tried to help in the rescue.”

On Sunday (Aug 23), more than 50 family members and friends gathered at the boy’s family home and void deck in Yishun. The burial was at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery at around 4 pm. / TISG