By DayakDaily Team
MIRI, Feb 12: A 32-year-old man remains missing after he was seen falling into the river from Lutong Bridge at Kampung Pangkalan along Jalan Paragon on Wednesday afternoon.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) responded to the emergency at 1.11pm on Feb 11 with a team from Lutong Station, led by operation commander PBKI Mohd Faizul Ali, dispatched to the scene.
According to a witness, who was riding a motorcycle across the bridge at about 12.48pm, the victim was seen standing on the side of the bridge before suddenly jumping into the river. The witness turned back and stopped near the location where the man entered the water.
The witness reportedly saw the victim struggling in the river before he submerged and was swept away by the current. The incident was then reported to the police.
Initial information indicated that the victim may have been experiencing mental health issues. As of press time, he has yet to be found.
Search and rescue (SAR) operations continued into a second day today (Feb 12). At 7.30am, a team from Bomba Lutong led by PBK II (TBBK I) Edwin Sigan, along with six personnel, proceeded to the location in a 4WD vehicle.
However, operations could not immediately commence at 8am due to low river water levels.
At 9.26am, the operation commander received information from the Sarawak Coast Guard regarding the discovery of a body in the Miri Port Piasau area. The person-in-charge of operations (PKO) and three personnel were deployed to the location to verify the report.
Upon arrival at 9.40am, authorities confirmed that the body found was not the missing victim. The team subsequently returned to the control post to resume search efforts.
The ongoing SAR operation involves multiple agencies, including the police, Sarawak Coast Guard and the Civil Defence Force (APM). — DayakDaily
