Big scale SAR activated to find fireman who fell into river at Mak Mandin Jetty

BUTTERWORTH: The Fire and Rescue Department are taking four approaches in the search and rescue (SAR) operation for a fireman, Mohd Izwan Illias, 42, who fell off a boat while carrying out maintenance work at the Fire and Rescue Department’s Marine Jetty in Mak Mandin, here on Thursday night (Feb 23).

The Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said a big scale operation had been activated this morning within a one-kilometre radius from where Mohd Izwan had fallen.

According to Nor Hisham, the Underwater Rescue Team would carry out search underwater while the K9 dog unit will carry out onshore search and drones will also be used to expand the search area.

"The search and rescue operation involves 50 members while nine boats from the department, police and local fishermen will also join the SAR,” he said when met at the location, here on Friday (Feb 23).

During the 10.10pm incident last night, the victim, Mohd Izwan Ilias, 42, who is also a member of the Underwater Rescue Team of the Butterworth Fire and Rescue Station, is said to have fallen into the river while carrying out maintenance work on the boat at the jetty.

The victim who has been with JBPM since 2005 (19 years) and a member of the Underwater Rescue Team of the Butterworth Fire and Rescue Station is said to have fallen off the boat while carrying out a "power train" test on the boat’s kevlar engine at the jetty.

Jamaliah Abd Majid, 42, said she was informed of her husband’s fate by members of the Fire and Rescue Department who came to her house in Permatang Pak Maras Penaga, at about 11pm last night.

"Since early morning, I was apprehensive because during night shifts, my husband will call me between 9pm and 10pm to ask about the children but last night there were no calls from him.

"When there was a knock on the door and was informed that my husband had fallen into the river and has been missing since, I blacked-out,” she said when met at the scene on Friday. – Bernama