KUCHING: Members of the public are advised to stay away from the site where a man is believed to have been attacked by a crocodile, near the riverbank along Jalan Matang-Kampung Paroh, to avoid any safety risks.
Padawan District police chief Superintendent Mohd Irwan Hafiz Md Radzi said the precaution is necessary as the ongoing Search and Rescue (SAR) operation now involves the use of firearms by the rescue team, including officers from the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).
“At present, we strongly discourage public presence at the site due to safety concerns.
“SFC personnel are armed as a precautionary measure in the event of any crocodile-related threats,” he said when met at the scene today.
He added that the second day of the SAR operation began as early as 8:00 am today after SAR had to be temporarily suspended late last night due to poor visibility in the dark.
Today’s operation involves 22 personnel from the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP), Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), Police Air Unit (PGU), and the Marine Police.
“We are also using three boats, including drones, to assist with the river search. We hope today’s operation will bring results and that the victim will be found,” he said.
On the progress of the operation, he said this morning, there were still no clear leads on the victim’s whereabouts.
“We’ve yet to come across any signs. There was some movement in the water suspected to be a crocodile, but when the SAR team moved in, no sightings were confirmed,” he said.
Irwan also advised the public, especially anglers, to refrain from fishing in the area, which is known to be a high-risk zone.
He said he was informed that the area is popular among anglers, but in truth, it is unsafe.
“In fact, during last night’s operation, numerous crocodile eyes were visible, glowing on the surface of the water. For this reason, I urge everyone to avoid fishing in the area for their own safety.
“We will be putting up warning signs about crocodile presence in this area to prevent the public from fishing or engaging in any activity here in the future,” he said.
At the same time, he also advised the public against visiting the scene, even with good intentions such as delivering food or drinks to the rescue team or the victim’s family.
He said while he appreciates the public’s concern, their presence could endanger themselves and disrupt the operation.
“Therefore, it’s best to leave this task entirely to the experienced rescue teams,” he said.
Earlier, he said a 33-year-old local man was reported to have been attacked by a crocodile in the Sungai Maong area at around 10:30 pm last night.
