MUKAH: A 28-year-old man is feared to have drowned after reportedly falling from a boat at the mouth of the Batang Oya River here this morning.
The victim has been identified as Awang Ismail Awang Rosidi. He is believed to have been alone in the boat when the incident occurred at around 9.23 am.
The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said it received an emergency call at 9.23 am and immediately dispatched a team from the Mukah Bomba to the scene.
The team arrived at the location at about 9.46 am after travelling approximately 21 kilometres.
According to the department, initial information was obtained through a police report made by a family member, who was informed by the victim’s wife that he was feared to have fallen into the river at the Batang Oya river mouth.
A search and rescue operation was launched around the area near a jellyfish processing factory where the victim was believed to have gone missing. Firefighters applied surface water searching techniques while combing the area.
However, the search was hampered by heavy rain and high tide conditions at the time of the operation, which reduced visibility and made the operation more challenging.
A total of four personnel from Bomba were involved in the operation, supported by one emergency medical rescue services vehicle, one four-wheel-drive vehicle and one boat.
Several other agencies also assisted in the search, including the Royal Malaysia Police with three personnel, the Civil Defence Force with nine personnel and one boat, and community firefighters with six personnel and one boat.
About 30 villagers also joined the operation using 10 boats to help search the river and surrounding waters.
As of the latest update, the victim has yet to be found, and the search and rescue operation is expected to continue.
Authorities have advised the public, especially river users and fishermen, to exercise caution when travelling by boat, particularly during bad weather and high tide conditions.
