IPOH: The volunteer fireman who fell into a lake at Bandar Baru Lahat Mines during a training exercise on Sunday (March 8) was not wearing a personal flotation device or safety vest prior to the incident.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Sayani Saidon said that based on the information gathered, the 25-year-old victim, identified as Cheng Ka-Jun, is believed to have taken off his vest before getting on a boat toward the end of the exercise.
"The victim had worn the vest in the earlier part of the exercise, which started at about 4pm.
"At the end of the exercise at about 7.10pm, the victim boarded the boat without the vest," she said in a statement on Monday (March 9).
"The victim and the driver of the boat fell into the lake after the driver made a U-turn," she said, adding that the driver was rescued while the victim is believed to have sunk into the lake.
A search operation was launched on Sunday following the incident.
The victim is believed to have fallen into the lake some 150m away from the side of the lake.
Sayani said the search operation involved various agencies and assets.
"Apart from the department, volunteer firemen, the police and Health Ministry personnel are also involved.
"We have also dispatched our K9 unit, and used drones, a depth finder and sonar sensors in our search," she said.
