<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>May 12, 2009
S'PORE RIVER DROWNINGS
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Courageous guard tried to save woman
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>He was a poor swimmer yet he jumped into river; death ruled an accident </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent
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Navy divers searching for Mr Saran at the Singapore River on Dec 19 last year. His body was found the next day floating near Tan Tye Place near Clarke Quay. His brother said he was a friendly and helpful person, and that his parents still could not get over his death. -- LIANHE WANBAO FILE PHOTO
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A MALAYSIAN security guard, who jumped into the Singapore River to save an intoxicated woman, drowned because of his 'courageous' effort, a coroner said yesterday.
On Dec 19 last year, Mr Saran Saunthara Pandian, 19, was patrolling the Riverside View apartments at Robertson Quay when he heard Ms Nur Iffah Osman, 24, shouting for help after she fell into the river some time past 2am.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story --><STYLE type=text/css> #related .quote {background-color:#E7F7FF; padding:8px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;} #related .quote .headline {font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10px;font-weight:bold; border-bottom:3px double #007BFF; color:#036; text-transform:uppercase; padding-bottom:5px;} #related .quote .text {font-size:11px;color:#036;padding:5px 0px;} </STYLE>Ex-cop's death a misadventure
FORMER police officer Tan Beng Sien, 32, was a good swimmer and a certified life-saver. But early on Christmas Day last year, he drowned in the Singapore River after an evening of drinks.
He had apparently fallen into the water from the river bank outside a Clarke Quay restaurant, Quayside Seafood. At a coroner's inquiry into his death yesterday, the court heard that Mr Tan had no reason to end his life prematurely.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>At a coroner's inquiry into his drowning, the court heard that earlier on, Ms Iffah had met some friends at dbl O pub in Mohamed Sultan Road. Her younger sister was also there.
At around 2am, Ms Iffah asked Mr Zulkifli Ramli, 21, her sister's boyfriend, to accompany her to a nearby 7-Eleven to get some drinks, but she changed her mind and wanted to sit somewhere for a talk. Both then walked to the staircase leading to the river where they sat and chatted. Ten minutes later, Mr Zulkifli decided to call his girlfriend. As he walked up the stairway, he heard Ms Iffah shout for help, followed by a splash.
She was said to have stood up to call her former boyfriend, but lost her balance and fell into the river. A poor swimmer, Mr Zulkifli rushed to the platform of the staircase and stretched out his hand to her while shouting for help.
Mr Saran then appeared and, after removing his shoes and walkie-talkie, jumped into the river to save the woman.
Ms Iffah managed to swim towards Mr Zulkifli and grab his hand. She was pulled to safety.
On realising that Mr Saran was struggling and shouting for help, Mr Zulkifli raised the alarm and used Ms Iffah's cellphone to call the police. He then helped Ms Iffah, who was believed to be in shock, to get a taxi to go to her friend's home. He then went to find her sister.
Later, navy divers tried to look for Mr Saran, but to no avail. His body was found the next day floating near Tan Tye Place near Clarke Quay.
Mr Saran's parents and elder brother, Vijih, 23, also a security guard in the same company, were in court yesterday for the inquiry. Vijih said his brother was a friendly and helpful person, and had been working in Singapore for only seven to eight months. He added that his parents still could not get over his brother's death.
In his findings, State Coroner Victor Yeo concluded that Mr Saran, who was not a good swimmer himself, had 'very courageously' jumped into the river to try and rescue the woman. 'Unfortunately, while Nur Iffah was successfully rescued by Zulkifli, the deceased met with his tragic death,' he said before recording a verdict of misadventure. [email protected]
S'PORE RIVER DROWNINGS
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Courageous guard tried to save woman
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>He was a poor swimmer yet he jumped into river; death ruled an accident </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Elena Chong, Court Correspondent
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Navy divers searching for Mr Saran at the Singapore River on Dec 19 last year. His body was found the next day floating near Tan Tye Place near Clarke Quay. His brother said he was a friendly and helpful person, and that his parents still could not get over his death. -- LIANHE WANBAO FILE PHOTO
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->A MALAYSIAN security guard, who jumped into the Singapore River to save an intoxicated woman, drowned because of his 'courageous' effort, a coroner said yesterday.
On Dec 19 last year, Mr Saran Saunthara Pandian, 19, was patrolling the Riverside View apartments at Robertson Quay when he heard Ms Nur Iffah Osman, 24, shouting for help after she fell into the river some time past 2am.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story --><STYLE type=text/css> #related .quote {background-color:#E7F7FF; padding:8px;margin:0px 0px 5px 0px;} #related .quote .headline {font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10px;font-weight:bold; border-bottom:3px double #007BFF; color:#036; text-transform:uppercase; padding-bottom:5px;} #related .quote .text {font-size:11px;color:#036;padding:5px 0px;} </STYLE>Ex-cop's death a misadventure
FORMER police officer Tan Beng Sien, 32, was a good swimmer and a certified life-saver. But early on Christmas Day last year, he drowned in the Singapore River after an evening of drinks.
He had apparently fallen into the water from the river bank outside a Clarke Quay restaurant, Quayside Seafood. At a coroner's inquiry into his death yesterday, the court heard that Mr Tan had no reason to end his life prematurely.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>At a coroner's inquiry into his drowning, the court heard that earlier on, Ms Iffah had met some friends at dbl O pub in Mohamed Sultan Road. Her younger sister was also there.
At around 2am, Ms Iffah asked Mr Zulkifli Ramli, 21, her sister's boyfriend, to accompany her to a nearby 7-Eleven to get some drinks, but she changed her mind and wanted to sit somewhere for a talk. Both then walked to the staircase leading to the river where they sat and chatted. Ten minutes later, Mr Zulkifli decided to call his girlfriend. As he walked up the stairway, he heard Ms Iffah shout for help, followed by a splash.
She was said to have stood up to call her former boyfriend, but lost her balance and fell into the river. A poor swimmer, Mr Zulkifli rushed to the platform of the staircase and stretched out his hand to her while shouting for help.
Mr Saran then appeared and, after removing his shoes and walkie-talkie, jumped into the river to save the woman.
Ms Iffah managed to swim towards Mr Zulkifli and grab his hand. She was pulled to safety.
On realising that Mr Saran was struggling and shouting for help, Mr Zulkifli raised the alarm and used Ms Iffah's cellphone to call the police. He then helped Ms Iffah, who was believed to be in shock, to get a taxi to go to her friend's home. He then went to find her sister.
Later, navy divers tried to look for Mr Saran, but to no avail. His body was found the next day floating near Tan Tye Place near Clarke Quay.
Mr Saran's parents and elder brother, Vijih, 23, also a security guard in the same company, were in court yesterday for the inquiry. Vijih said his brother was a friendly and helpful person, and had been working in Singapore for only seven to eight months. He added that his parents still could not get over his brother's death.
In his findings, State Coroner Victor Yeo concluded that Mr Saran, who was not a good swimmer himself, had 'very courageously' jumped into the river to try and rescue the woman. 'Unfortunately, while Nur Iffah was successfully rescued by Zulkifli, the deceased met with his tragic death,' he said before recording a verdict of misadventure. [email protected]
