Toddler goes missing in Kinabatangan oil palm plantation

KOTA KINABALU: A one-year, nine-month-old girl has gone missing at a remote oil palm plantation in the Kinabatangan district.

A search and rescue (SAR) operation was mounted on Tuesday (May 30) after the Fire and Rescue Department received an alert at noon about the incident at the plantation, located 160km from Kinabatangan town.

The toddler, Nurain Randi, was last seen at the workers’ quarters on Sunday (May 28) according to witnesses, said a department spokesman.

"SAR efforts started at 3.10pm, involving 10 policemen and 30 estate workers.

"The search covered an area within a two-kilometre radius from the quarters.

"However, the victim has not been found and the operation was postponed at 6.30pm. SAR efforts will continue on Wednesday (May 31)," he said.

In a separate case in Kundasang, the department's Mountain Search and Rescue (Mosar) unit assisted a 16-year-old Mount Kinabalu porter to come down the mountain.

The porter suffered from acute mountain sickness (AMS) and gastritis.

Mosar was alerted to the situation at 2pm after the teenager began experiencing difficulties at KM4 Layang Layang of the mountain trail.

"The unit, assisted by Sabah Parks personnel, brought down the teenager using a stretcher before sending him to the Ranau district hospital for further treatment.

"The operation ended at 4.45pm," said the spokesman.