Firemen and villagers use a small boat to conduct a surface search at the site where a boat capsized in the Kinabatangan River.
KOTA KINABALU: Two men have gone missing in Sabah’s rivers over two days in separate incidents — one while fishing, the other after a boat capsized.
On Saturday (July 19), a man was swept away after the boat he was in with three friends capsized in the Kinabatangan River near Ladang Temenggong around noon.
The victim was believed to be 46‑year‑old Adzly Kassim, according to the Kinabatangan Fire and Rescue Department.
According to the Kinabatangan Fire and Rescue Department’s report, a distress call came in at 11.49am. Rescue teams travelled approximately 115km to the remote site, arriving at 3pm and immediately began their search using small boats borrowed from local villagers.
Operation Commander PBK II Jerry John said that as of 5.30pm, the victim remains missing. The operation has been suspended for the night and would resume at first light, he said.
On Friday (July 18), a man disappeared after going fishing alone at Sungai Umas‑Umas in Dumpas, along Jalan Merotai–Kalabakan in Tawau.
The victim, 38-year-old Rizal Bedu, left home around 2pm but never returned. His family reported him missing, and the police alerted the Tawau Fire and Rescue Department at 2.27pm on Saturday.
Local firefighters arrived at 3.22pm and began searching within a 500m radius of his last known location.
“We found only his motorcycle, bag and shoes by the riverbank. There is no sign of him,” said Senior Fire Officer I Jehrey Ibno.
The search, involving six firefighters and three police officers, was halted at 5pm due to fading daylight and would continue on Monday (July 21).
