The body of a 13-year-old boy was recovered from the Kallang River near Kallang MRT station on Thursday night, February 26, 2026, more than 24 hours after he was reported missing. Police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded to a call at approximately 10:35 p.m. Regarding a person found floating in the river.
SCDF firefighters and rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team retrieved the body, and a paramedic pronounced the individual dead at the scene. A man who identified himself as a family member arrived to identify the body shortly before midnight and subsequently confirmed it was the missing boy, according to reports.
The boy has been identified as Daniel. His mother, Siti, had reported him missing after he fell into the river while fishing with friends on February 25. Preliminary police investigations do not suggest foul play, though investigations are ongoing.
The initial “active search” for Daniel, led by the SCDF, concluded around 7 p.m. On February 26, after twelve hours. The SCDF stated it would continue to monitor the area and conduct periodic checks. Earlier in the day, at approximately 9:30 p.m., three SCDF officers were observed scanning the water surface with torches.
The area surrounding the river became crowded with approximately 60 residents, alongside SCDF and police personnel, after a resident reported seeing something floating in the water. Authorities had initially alerted to the incident on February 25 at around 4:30 p.m., suspending search-and-rescue operations after about four hours due to diminishing visibility, and resuming them the following morning.
Siti, Daniel’s mother, expressed her confusion in an interview with The Straits Times earlier on February 26, stating she was puzzled as to why her son had gone fishing given his lack of experience and limited swimming ability. Daniel has two brothers, aged 11 and 14, and their father is currently incarcerated.
A friend of Daniel’s told AsiaOne that the boy fell into the river while attempting to free a fishing line entangled in a net. During the attempted rescue, another boy also fell into the water but was successfully saved. Daniel was then swept away by the current.
As of February 27, authorities have not released further details regarding the ongoing investigation.
