SETIU: Three children who went missing while looking for clams with their families have been found drowned.

       Nur Amni Insyirah Saiful Tarmizi, nine, was found by the rescue team at 1.08am yesterday, some 800m away from the location she was reported missing.

       “The second body found at 1.47am was that of her seven-year-old brother Muhammad Aryan Faheem, about 1.5km from the first victim,” said Setiu district police chief Deputy Superintendent Afandi Hussin.

       The search and rescue (SAR) operation resumed at 7.45am, and their cousin, the final victim – Nurulhasha Humaira Che Mohd Humaizi, 11 – was found at 8.15am, five metres away from the last location all of them were reported missing.

       On Friday evening, three adults and six children were at the Sungai Kampung Mangkuk estuary for a picnic and to look for clams.

       However, water levels suddenly increased due to high tide, causing the children to be swept away.

       DSP Afandi said the SAR operation, which involved 107 members of the Fire and Rescue Department, the police, Civil Defence Force, Rela and villagers ended at 8.40am yesterday.

       “The bodies were sent to the Setiu Hospital for a post-mortem,” he added.

       He advised the public to be extra careful and to be mindful of tidal movement at river estuaries to prevent such incidents from happening again. – Bernama