Rescue workers searching for man snatched by croc in Tawau

KOTA KINABALU: Rescue workers are searching for a man believed to have been snatched by a crocodile while fishing at a river in Kg Mas Mas, Tawau district.

The man, identified only as Asdar, was fishing with a friend at Jalan Sungai Burung Thursday (Oct 19) night, when the reptile was believed to have struck.

According to Sabah Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Hamsa Isnurdini, the friend saw Asdar being dragged away by the reptile.

"We received a distress call at 12.17am," he said in a statement on Friday (Oct 20).

He said a search was immediately mounted together with villagers but they were unable to do much as it was too dark.

"We continued with the search operation at 10am Friday, with the search area in a 2km radius from where the victim was last seen," he said.

This was the second crocodile attack reported within a week, the other involving 50-year-old Salim Sakka at Kg Sungai Silabukan, Lahad Datu.

ALSO READ: Lahad Datu man missing after croc attack

Salim was reported missing after an apparent crocodile attack on Monday (Oct 16) while mending a fishing net by the river.

His body has yet to be found.

Meanwhile, a 2m-long crocodile was captured in a drain at Taman Megah Lorong Jaya 3, Sandakan district on Friday.

Sandakan Civil Defence Department officer Sulaiman Salama said they received a call from a resident of the housing area at around 12.45pm and managed to capture the 80kg reptile at 2.10pm.

No one was injured, he added.