Croc attack: SAR ongoing for missing foreign national in Samalaju

The SAR team resumed the operation at 7am this morning to locate the missing man.

BINTULU (Sept 19): The search and rescue (SAR) operation continued today for a missing man who is believed to have been attacked by a crocodile while fishing at Sungai Semba, Samalaju.

According to Bintulu Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) zone chief Wan Kamarudin Wan Ahmad, the victim who is an Indonesian, was identified as Hermanto in his 40s.

He said a team of rescue personnel from Samalaju fire station were dispatched to the scene after receiving a call about the incident at 11.20pm.

The victim’s friend known as Ardiansyah, 27, told the rescue team that Hermanto was snatched by the reptile and was dragged into the other side of the river.

The SAR team together with local fishermen then used a fishing boat to go to the location.

“However, after approximately an hour searching the area, the victim was still not found before the operation commander postponed the night operation,” he said.

Prior to the attack, the victim was wearing a gray long sleeve shirt and jeans.

Meanwhile, the SAR operation commander Hashim Norshidi when contacted said as of 10.13am today, the victim has yet to be found.

He said the Bomba team has carried out a water surface search about one-kilometre from the location where the victim was said to have been attacked.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3BStGIM
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