Searchers find body of Bintangor teen who went missing during dip with friends

Firefighters cover Putera’s body before handing it over to the police.

BINTANGOR (June 30): A search and rescue (SAR) team found the body of a missing teenager early this morning along the riverbank, around 30 metres from where he was last seen at Sungai Bakong bridge.

Putera Fadillah Abdullah, 17, had disappeared after he was swept away by strong currents during a swim with two friends yesterday afternoon.

“I received a call from one of the men at the scene at 6.40am informing that the victim’s body had been found about 30 metres from where he was last seen,” said Bintangor Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) chief Nicholas Belulin.

“At the time another team from Bomba Bintangor was in the midst of erecting their operation control post before resuming today’s search and rescue operation.”

He said firefighters retrieved the body from the river and handed it over to the police for further action.

Nicholas added Bomba received a report on the incident at 3.48pm yesterday and he had led a team of eight firefighters to the scene.

According to Putera’s friends, the teenager could not keep himself afloat during their swim near Sungai Bakong bridge, KJD road due to the fast flowing waters.

The friends said they had swum to Putera and managed to grab his hand but could not hold on as the strong currents carried him away.

Nicholas added Putera’s father had said that his son could not swim.

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