Boy dies after jet ski collided with another carrying mum

GEORGE TOWN: A nine-yearold boy died when the jet ski he was on crashed into another which was manned by his mother at the Batu Ferringhi beach near here on Monday.

Northeast District Police chief ACP Anuar Omar said Jordan Phang Wen Jie, from Petaling Jaya in Selangor, died after he fell into the sea due to the collision which occurred at about 7.30pm.

“The victim’s family had just checked into a hotel in Batu Ferringhi yesterday afternoon for a three- day vacation here.

“The family then rented two jet skis from a water sports operator (whose booth was) located behind the hotel where they were staying,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Anuar said the woman was riding on the jet ski alone while the victim boarded the second one manned by the man who was also the water sports operator.

The man had suddenly lost control over the jet ski due to strong winds before grazing into the other jet ski, he said.

Anuar said the victim fell into the water and was rendered emergency assistance after being rescued by the water sports operator.

“However, a team of paramedics who arrived at the scene confirmed that the victim had died”, he said.

He died of spinal cord injury,” he said, adding that the body was taken to the Penang Hospital for post-mortem.

Anuar also said both the victim’s mother and the jet ski operator escaped injuries, and that all of them were wearing life vests at the time of the incident. — Bernama