Ismail Alaba and his siblings drowned in the Katcha River while returning from a shopping trip in the early hours of Thursday, April 10.
The couple reportedly went to a nearby town to buy a bag of rice and were returning home as they climbed the capsized midriver and poured them into a fast-moving current. It is believed that the river flows abnormally strongly at the time of the incident.
Although locals arrived at the scene, they were still unable to rescue the two brothers. After several hours of search, community volunteers recovered their bodies and brought them back to Rapa, and the news of the tragic triggered a surge of sadness.
Ismail Alaba is a well-known and beloved member of the community, operating a popular point of sale (POS) business at low cost junctions. He is widely described as cheerful, hardworking, and ready to help others.
The late brother’s family is said to be heartbroken because they had just recently buried another son, who was injured in a football game.
