The bodies of the girls, aged 15 and 12, from Kampung Jeram were recovered at about 6pm at a depth of four metres, about 20 metres from where they were last seen.

Terengganu fire and rescue department operations commander Baharum Hasim said search and rescue efforts took about three hours due to strong currents and high tide.

“Both victims were found on the riverbed,” he said when met at the scene.

The bodies were taken to Sultan Zainal Abidin Hospital for a post-mortem.