KUCHING:  “If I had known, I would not have asked him to take us there,” lamented Peni Rijud, wife of Malison Chaing Jilom, one of three men who drowned at  Pandan Beach in Lundu on Sunday.

All the three who drowned  could not swim.

They were cousins.

Met at her residence in Kampung Siburan near here yesterday, Peni sobbed: “He is gone forever; he has left me already and will never come back.”

“Early this month, we went to Bintulu, Sibu and Sarikei. He always took us on outing trips during school holidays and public holidays,” she said, with teary eyes.

The 39-year-old, who works at Timberland Medical Centre, said her husband, 38, had gone to the aid of his 15-year-old niece Geogina Peter although he could not swim.

“Actually this trip had been planned for some time as my brother’s daughter was getting married.”

The trio drowned after being swept away by big waves and strong currents at Pandan Beach in Lundu, about an hour’s ride from here on Sunday.

The second victim is Chong Ah Onn, 42, while the third, Geogina’s father Peter Rijud, 52, is still missing at press time.

Malison, who worked at CMS Quarries Sdn Bhd, leaves behind three children: Macklan who just completed the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia; Tangerine, 11, a pupil of SK Siburan and Noel, four years old.

Describing his father as “hardworking and loving”, Macklan said: “He always spent time with the family and encouraged me to do well in examinations.”

The 18-year-old was at home with his granny on that fateful day.

“Earlier this month, we had gone to several places for fun so I gave this beach trip a miss. This is the first time they went to Pandan Beach in a big group and the third for my family.

“I am very sad,” he said, reminiscing about the good times he’s had with his father. Upon completing SPM, Macklan would pursue Form 6 studies to realise his ambition of becoming a policeman.

Malison’s nephew, Hansel Bengong, who saved Geogina, said nobody expected the waves to get so strong around 2.30pm.

He recalled: “Peter was trying to save his daughter and Malison followed. I also went to try to save the girl, and I did.”

Hansel, 28, claimed that he had pulled the girl to a safe zone but when he turned around, he lost sight of the three men.

Chong had gone in to save Peter and Malison but all three did not make it.

He said the rescue team reached the scene around 3.30pm.

Meanwhile Chong’s widow, Sabina Samuel, 25, said it was their first trip to the beach.

“My husband could not swim but when he saw his cousins in trouble, he just went into the water to help,” she said.

She said there were many other picnickers that afternoon but no one could help as the waves were too big and strong.

“The search and rescue team found my husband first around 4pm and then Malison. Peter was still missing yesterday evening,” she said.

Chong, a farmer, leaves his wife and two daughters, Cressida, four and Cressda Elvina, two.

His cortege is expected to leave his house at 1pm for St Stephen’s Church in his village for a funeral service and thereafter, burial.