SAR operations for missing septuagenarian expanded to seven-KM radius

SEREMBAN - The search and rescue (SAR) operation to locate an elderly woman who went missing after looking for a cow in an oil palm plantation near her house in Kampung Sega Tengah, Kuala Sawah, Rantau, on Sunday, has been extended to seven kilometres radius from the location.

Seremban District Civil Defence Force (APM) operation director, Lt Mohd Ghazali Abd Rahim said the search for Sivapaki, 74, involving over 50 APM, fire department, police personnel and residents as well as four tracker dogs would focus on the plantation area.

"The search started early this morning and will continue until evening. If we do not find the victim after 72 hours, we will hand over the case to the police for further action,” he told Bernama here today.

Meanwhile, the victim's grandson, K.Shirikumaran, 28, who had been following the operation since the first day, said his grandmother only has leg pains due to a previous fall and has no other health problems.

He added this was the second time the victim was reported missing, after the earlier incident in 2006 when she was found unscathed after three days in Linggi, Port Dickson by a relative.

"My grandmother is familiar with this area and she has lived here since she was a child. The 50 cattle were found a day after she was reported missing but she is still not found,” he said, adding his grandmother lived with her husband in the house. - BERNAMA