By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 4: A Sarawakian soldier who drowned after being swept away by strong currents while crossing Sungai Merah during a patrol in Permatang, Perak, was laid to rest in his hometown of Matu last night (Dec 3).
According to Bernama, Lance Corporal Mohd Afandi Jahwin was one of two victims involved in the tragic incident, which occurred on Nov 30 at around 8am.
The two, along with seven other personnel, were conducting operations under Kota Echo/Foxtrot in the Royal Belum Forest area.
The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) stated that the seven personnel were rescued safely by 12.30pm on the same day.
However, Mohd Afandi, from the 21 Commando unit at Sungai Udang Camp, Melaka, and Lance Corporal Ahmad Zulhilmi Ahmad Tamizi, from the 22 Commando unit at Iskandar Camp, Mersing, Johor, were reported missing.
On Dec 1, at approximately 6pm, the rescue team recovered Mohd Afandi’s body by the riverbank, about three kilometres from the troop’s headquarters.
His remains were airlifted from the operation site the following day at 12.41pm and transported to Taiping Hospital for a post-mortem. The body was later flown via an EC725 TUDM aircraft to Sibu Airport, taken to Kampung Jemoreng, and laid to rest at Jemoreng Cemetery.
Efforts to locate the second missing soldier, Ahmad Zulhilmi, are ongoing. A rescue team comprising five officers and 112 members continues to search along Sungai Merah and the Perak River.
Ahmad Zulhilmi is from Kampung Padang Limau, Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Army Chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan and the entire MAF extended their condolences to the family of the late Mohd Afandi, expressing deep sadness over the loss of their member. — DayakDaily
