Kudat villager in dire straits after passing out at sea

Two of the rescued men.

KOTA KINABALU: A villager is fighting for his life after falling unconscious at sea while trying to help a fisherman retrieve his boat after it drifted off from Kg Labuan Sama in Kudat district on Monday (Dec 19) morning.

Jafridin Jawatan, 52, was on a boat with a friend prior to the 10am incident when strong winds and high waves struck, overturning their vessel.

Jafridin and his friend were trying to help a fisherman retrieve his boat that had drifted off at sea prior to that.

Sabah Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Misran Bisara said when they received a call about the incident at around 10.50am, they were told that three men were thrown off their boat.

"Our men responded and a team was sent to rescue them," he said.

"We then found out that the two villagers had actually seen the fisherman swimming in the sea, trying to get back his boat that had drifted off and they had gone to assist the fisherman," he said.

Misran said the villagers’ boat got hit by strong waves and it overturned.

The three people then tried to swim to the shore to save themselves, and were rescued midway by firemen.

"Two of them were reported fine but Jafridin had fallen unconscious then," he said.

Misran said firemen performed Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Jafridin before they sent him to the hospital for further treatment.

Operations ceased at 12.30pm.

It is not known whether Jafridin survived as he was handed over to medical personnel for emergency treatment at the hospital after that.