The end-of-year festive season, typically a time for celebration and joy, has been marred by tragedy for some families.
Among them is the family of Mr Isaac Kelvin Tan Lee Thong.
On the 27 Dec, just two days post-Christmas, the 49-year-old Mr Tan, accompanied by his wife and their 16-year-old son Gabriel Tan Way Ping, embarked on a holiday to the Desaru Coast in Johor, located in the far east of Johor Bahru.
During their stay, Mr Tan and his son decided to take a swim at the beach adjacent to the Westin Desaru Resort in Kota Tinggi.
Being tropical residents, swimming in sea waters is a commonplace activity for many, yet the importance of adhering to safety guidelines while doing so cannot be overstated.
On this fateful day, Mr Tan and Gabriel unfortunately disregarded a crucial safety warning: a red flag had been erected, indicating the prohibition of all water-related activities.
This warning, as reported by the New Straits Times, was due to the rough sea conditions prevalent during the current monsoon season, further exacerbated by the unpredictable weather patterns of the Northeast Monsoon.
Tragically, the father and son encountered strong waves and perilous undercurrents. Mr Tan was swept away by the current, becoming untraceable.
Gabriel, while struggling in the rough sea, was fortunately spotted by passers-by who managed to rescue him.
He was immediately rushed to the Kota Tinggi Hospital and remained conscious throughout the ordeal.
The search for Mr Tan, however, proved to be more challenging.
It wasn’t just the local team involved; the operation expanded to include additional rescue teams from Mersing and Sungai Rengit.
The Penawar Fire and Rescue Department alone deployed 17 personnel along with a boat unit, according to New Straits Times.
In the early hours of 28 Dec at approximately 5:30 am, a body resembling Mr Tan was discovered by a security guard from a nearby hotel, approximately 5km from the location where he had initially drowned.
Upon identification by his wife, the body was confirmed to be that of Mr Tan, as stated by Masri Ibrahim, the operations commander of the Penawar Fire and Rescue Department, according to The Straits Times.
Throughout this tragic event, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) provided consular assistance to the bereaved family via the Singapore Consulate General in Johor Bahru.
The MFA also expressed gratitude towards the Johor Fire and Rescue Department for their relentless search and rescue efforts over the last two days.