Rescue workers carrying the body to shore.
KOTA KINABALU: An elderly man who went missing while netting for fish was found drowned at a beach in Putatan near here on Friday (April 26).
The 71-year-old was earlier casting nets with his nephew at Kuala Putatan 2 when the incident occurred at about noon.
Penampang Fire and Rescue station chief Zeno Tinggalan said the nephew had gone into the water with the victim but later realised the latter had gone missing.
The nephew subsequently reported the matter to the police who then notified the fire department at 2.02pm, he said.
He said a team was rushed to the location which was located some 20km from the Penampang station.
“We carried out a search and rescue operation, combing the seaside,” he said, when contacted, adding the search was conducted jointly with the Civil Defence Force and the public.
"The victim’s body was found by the public at 3.56pm, some 1km from where he was reported to have gone missing," Zeno added.
He said rescuers then brought the body to shore before the remains were handed over to the police for the next course of action.
