PETALING JAYA: A search and rescue operation is ongoing for a 10-year-old boy believed to have drowned after he was swept away by the current in Sungai Bernam near Kampung Sungai Nilam, Hulu Selangor.
The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call about the incident at 1.40pm on Wednesday (May 27), operations assistant director Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said.
Personnel from the Kuala Kubu Baru fire station were dispatched to the scene, about 40km away, and arrived at 2.35pm, he said in a statement on Thursday (May 28).
"Muhamad Aakif Imran Asrul Nizam is believed to have drowned after being swept away by the river current.
"Search efforts are actively being carried out by our personnel at the scene," he added.
Ahmad Mukhlis said searches were conducted within a 1.6km radius of the scene on the first day of operations, assisted by the water rescue team.
He said that as of 11am on Thursday, the second day of operations, the search had been expanded to a 3km radius from the point where the victim was reported missing.
"The operation is being assisted by several agencies, including personnel from the Slim River fire station, the police, Health Ministry, volunteer fire brigade and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
"The water rescue team and K9 unit are also at the scene assisting," he added.
A total of 12 firefighters and three boats, among other assets, have been deployed for the operation.
