MALAYSIA, KOTA TINGGI - A trip to Desaru beach to mark the end of the school holidays ended in tragedy for a group of five when one of them drowned and another went missing on Saturday.

The body of Zahari Ibrahim, 29, a teacher at SMK Taman Selesa Jaya 1, Johor Baru, has been found.

Zahari, of Kampung Paku Gual Ipoh, Tanah Merah, Kelantan, was not married and is the third of five siblings.

Another victim, Mohd Ramzi Mohamed Jasmin, 18, a former student of the same school who had just sat for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exam, is still missing.

A search and rescue operation had been launched since 7pm.

One of the group members, Syed Ahmad Syed Sahardin, 23, said they went to the beach in two cars.

"Although it was drizzling and the waves were strong, we did not consider it dangerous and immediately changed into our swimming trunks when we reached the beach at noon.

"At about 2pm, we got out of the water, except for Zahari and Ramzi, because they said they still wanted to swim," he said.

Syed Ahmad said he and the others decided to head to a nearby resort for a short rest before returning to the beach.

"When we reached the resort, we saw Zahari struggling in the water while Ramzi had disappeared," he said.

Syed Ahmad said he ran back to the beach and sought help from a lifeguard who was nearby.

Kota Tinggi police chief Superintendent Osman Muhammad Sebot said firemen from the Bandar Penawar Fire and Rescue Department recovered Zahari's body near the spot he was swimming at 3.30pm.

In Besut, the bodies of three boys who drowned in separate incidents at two beaches near here on Friday were recovered on Saturday.

In the first incident at the Beting Lintang beach, Mohd Illias Razali, 13, from Kampung Beting Lintang, was picnicking with relatives when they decided to go into the sea to look for clams.

Illias was in a group with several others when he was swept away by strong waves.

The second incident occurred at the Bukit Keluang beach.

Norhisham Mat Yaacob, 15, and Nik Norhilmi Zuki, 14, went missing after they were pulled underwater by strong current.

Both victims, Norhisham of Kampung Bukit Tanah and Nik Norhilmi of Kampung Bukit Gedombak, Kelantan, were at the beach swimming with family members when they went under water.

Norhisham's body was found by rescuers not far away from the spot he was last seen at 7.15pm on Friday.

Nik Norhilmi's body was found some three nautical miles off Tanjung Demong beach shortly after 1pm on Saturday.