SIBU: The body of a 49-year-old man who was feared to have drowned during a fishing trip at Rejang River yesterday (July 30), was found by authorities this morning (July 31).
The victim was identified as Payau Meluda, from Rh Dana at Tanjung Latap.
His body was recovered around 10.53 am using the grappling iron method, about 50 metres away from where he was believed to have drowned.
A spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said the body was retrieved and taken to the riverbank for identification by the victim’s family.
Subsequently, the body was handed over to the police for transportation to Sibu Hospital for a post-mortem.
Following the discovery, the search operation ended at 11.30 am.
Yesterday, witnesses reported that the victim went fishing when the tide was low, and the weather was fine.
However, he did not return after entering the river. Authorities were alerted to the incident, and firemen from Sibu central station were deployed to the scene to commence the search.
