Fire Dept extends search area to locate missing child feared drowned

TANJUNG MALIM - The search radius in the mission to locate an eight-year-old child who was feared to have drowned in the river near Teratak River View Lubuk Hantu, Simpang Empat, here has been extended up to nine kilometres from the scene of the incident.

Tanjung Malim Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) operations chief, Zairul Fahmi Mohd Nazari said the search and rescue (SAR) mission, which entered its fourth day, resumed at 8 am today.

"Today we focus on that distance by using water surface searching, skin dive, river bank searching techniques as we concentrate on the banks of the river with the help of two tracker dogs and three members," he told Bernama when met at the scene.

Zairul Fahmi said in total 49 people and two tracker dogs are involved in the SAR, of which 26 are firefighters from the Tanjung Malim Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) and its Water Rescue Team (PPDA).

"This operation is being assisted by seven policemen, three members from Malaysian Rescue Team who carried drones and seven members of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force including six members of the Kampung Slim Voluntary Fire Brigade (PBS)," he said.

The victim Edward Grang Anak Beard from Sarawak was at the location camping with his family and should have returned home on the evening of the incident.

Last Saturday the fire department received a distress call about the victim who was feared drowned while bathing in the river. He wore a black swimsuit with green spots when he went missing at 5.06 pm. - BERNAMA