Four individuals are feared to have drowned after the boat they were traveling on overturned and sank in a river near SK Lepong Balleh in Batang Balleh, Kapit, on Thursday (March 7).
The Chief of the Kapit Fire and Rescue Station (BBP), Assistant Fire Chief (PPgB) Timoty Barat, stated that his station received an emergency call at 5.24pm and promptly dispatched 10 firefighters to the site.
According to Timoty Barat, the incident involved a 30-horsepower fiber boat carrying five passengers from Melekun Camp to Nanga Tuli. One of the passengers, Moses Ngui, aged 47, was rescued by a bystander at the scene, while the strong current swept away the other four individuals.
Upon reaching the location, the firefighters initiated a search operation utilizing the ‘water surface searching’ technique approximately 1km from the site of the incident.
However, due to the adverse conditions including the strong current and darkness setting in, the operation had to be suspended at 6.50pm.
Search and rescue efforts will recommence on Friday (March 8) morning.
