KUANTAN: A man died after being buried while searching for gold in a stream near Kampung Berhamah, Merapoh, on Wednesday.
Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Pahang public relations officer Zulfadli Zakaria, said the incident involving the victim, Ayub Ahmad, 37, occurred around 10.04pm on Wednesday (May 14).
He stated that information received suggested the gold search was conducted using an excavator to dig the stream bed.
"The victim descended into the excavated area wearing an air supply hose before being buried," he said in a statement on Thursday (May 15).
Following the incident, a team from the Sungai Koyan Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched to the location, about 55 kilometres from the station, to conduct a search and rescue operation.
Zulfadli said that before the fire brigade arrived, the police and villagers had initially attempted to dig out the area where the victim was buried.
"The victim's body was finally successfully retrieved at 11.15pm," he said.
