Drowned student grabbed his friend's leg before sinking under water

Thursday, 21 January 2021

A Malaysian national who drowned near Roxburgh in Central Otago tried to grab his friend’s leg before he sank under the water.

Ehsan Bin Zakaria Muhammad, 23, drowned at the popular swimming spot Pinders Pond on Friday.

His father Zakaria Muhammad Isa, a retired teacher, said his son went swimming at the pond with six friends after finishing work.

“He liked to swim. He was a good swimmer,” Isa said from his home in the state of Kedah in Malaysia.

“[At the pond] they were swimming, but he turned back with a friend because he got tired.”

**READ MORE:

* Police recover body after suspected drowning in Central Otago

* Sid Salek had a super eye for lifesaving

* How does drowning happen and how can you prevent it?

**

He managed to hold his friend’s leg before sinking under the water.

“His friend tried to save him but it got too dangerous, and he had to save himself.”

Muhammad, one of eight children, moved to New Zealand in 2017 and earned an accounting degree from the University of Auckland.

“He made us very proud. He always got good grades in his study. He was passionate about learning,” Isa said.

He bought a car in November after graduating and was working on an orchard to save money to further his education, his father said.

“He liked living in New Zealand because of the nice views. He liked to travel around to see the views.”

His wife described him as a “happy-go-lucky” man who loved all sports, and always made a lot of friends.

“He loved to help people. He was a very kind man.”

Muhammad’s friends and the Islamic community in New Zealand had helped raise money to pay to have their son buried at Green Island Cemetery in Dunedin.

“We have come to accept losing our son. We believe God loves him, and we pray he has gone to a higher place.

“We want to say thank you to the Malaysian ambassador, New Zealand Government, Islamic community in New Zealand and all parties involved in my son's funeral.”