By Nancy Nais
DARO, Sept 17: A seven-year-old boy was feared drowned after he fell into Sungai Passin, Matu yesterday.
The state Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) operations centre in a statement revealed it received the emergency call at 3.05pm.
The boy from Kampung Sungai Passin was reported missing after he fell into the river.
A search and rescue (SAR) operation was immediately mounted by firefighters from Daro station.
According to Daro fire station chief PBK I Mohamad Nor Abdullah, the journey by boat to reach the scene takes about two hours, depending on weather and river conditions.
There is no communication access in the Sungai Passin area.
“According to one of the witnesses, he saw the victim bathing by the jetty near the Sungai Pasin health clinic at about 2.15pm. The victim was seen struggling in the water before he disappeared.
“The witness immediately called on villagers nearby for help. However, they failed to locate the boy, despite searching around the area with fishing nets,” Mohamad Nor disclosed.
A team of firefighters who arrived at 5.40pm immediately conducted a surface water search of about 300 feet radius from where the boy was last seen.
As at 6.30pm, the victim has yet to be located and SAR operations was postponed due to bad weather and nightfall.
The search continued today with firefighters and police using the surface water search method.
Meanwhile, about 40 villagers assisted in the SAR, using rattan thorn nets.
However, they failed to locate the missing boy.
The search was postponed at 4pm and will continue tomorrow. — DayakDaily
