Body of missing off-duty NSF firefighter, 22, retrieved from Pulau Ubin lake

Anjali Raguraman
The Straits Times
Apr 16, 2023

The body of a national serviceman was found floating in the lake of a quarry in the northern part of Pulau Ubin and retrieved on Sunday.

The off-duty firefighter – a 22-year-old full-time national serviceman at Tampines Fire Station – had been reported missing since Friday.

Police said they received a call for assistance at 12.33am on Saturday.

At about 1pm on Sunday, a body was seen floating in the waters of Kekek Quarry, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

SCDF said its rescuers, who were conducting a search in the quarry, retrieved the body. The victim was pronounced dead by a paramedic.

Based on preliminary investigations, police said they do not suspect foul play.

According to Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, eight relatives and friends of the man arrived at the scene at 11am on Sunday and prayed together with priests from the island’s Hindu temple. They were spotted leaving Pulau Ubin at around 2.15pm.

Photo: Lianhe Zaobao

On Saturday, a Pulau Ubin resident known only as Mr Wang, 65, told Lianhe Zaobao that he saw a friend of the missing man seeking assistance at about 7pm on Friday in the vicinity of the quarry.

Mr Wang said the missing man may have gone swimming in the quarry lake and did not carry his mobile phone, according to the man’s family and friends.