IPOH: A 38-year-old man is feared drowned after diving into the Perak River to retrieve a runaway boat in Batu 18, Kampung Kuchai, Bota Kiri, on Thursday evening (Sept 10).
Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (Operations) Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the department received a distress call at 5.00pm and dispatched firefighters to the scene, arriving 25 minutes later.
According to authorities, the victim entered the water when his boat drifted away from his fish cage.
"The victim got into difficulty while in the water. His nephew attempted to save him, but the strong currents prevented a rescue," Sabarodzi said in a statement on Friday (Sept 11).
Firefighters from the Seri Iskandar, Parit, and Kampung Gajah stations initiated a surface search along the riverbank upon arrival. The search continued until 9.45pm with the assistance of local villagers, but yielded no results before operations were suspended for the night.
An Operations Control Centre has been established at the Lambor Kiri Pump Station to coordinate ongoing efforts.
"The search resumed at 8.00am today (Sept 11), bolstered by eight personnel from the Teluk Intan and Pulau Pangkor Water Rescue Teams (PPDA)," Sabarodzi added, noting that the department’s K9 Special Unit has also been deployed to assist in locating the victim.
