An 11-year-old boy who had been missing since 29 August was found dead after his body was discovered floating in the waters off East Coast Park on the night of 30 August.
The police said they were alerted to the incident at 9.55pm, and upon arrival, found the boy in the sea. He was brought ashore by officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.
On 31 August, police confirmed that the deceased had been identified by his next-of-kin as Muhammad Hairil Effendi.
Search Efforts and Earlier Appeal
Hairil had last been seen on 29 August at around 11.05am in the vicinity of Block 29 Marine Crescent.
Following his disappearance, police issued an appeal for information on his whereabouts.
Posters carrying his parents’ contact details were circulated on Facebook, and the group Reunite Missing Children shared that Hairil had autism.
Events at East Coast Park on 30 August
When the boy’s body was found, a section of East Coast Park was cordoned off as a crowd gathered. Several photos and videos of the incident began circulating on social media later that night.
Police have urged members of the public not to share such material “out of respect for the family.”
An eyewitness, who was present at the scene, recounted that police and SCDF officers arrived at about 10.15pm. By 10.40pm, officers from SCDF’s Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team were unloading equipment and preparing to dive, and at around 11pm, SCDF divers and a red boat were seen in the water.
At about 12.40am on 31 August, a body was observed being placed onto a stretcher and loaded into a police van.
Police Statement and Ongoing Investigations
The police have said that preliminary investigations do not suggest foul play, although investigations are still ongoing.
They have also reiterated their request for the public to refrain from circulating images or videos of the incident.
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