SEMPORNA: A young soldier drowned and another is missing during an army operation at Pulau Mataking on Friday.
The Joint Task Force 2 confirmed the incident, saying both men were attached to Company C of the 5th Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment.
Private Muhammad Irfan Haiqal Abdullah, 20, was pulled from the water unconscious and later pronounced dead despite efforts to revive him.
His colleague, Corporal Muhammad Zulkarnain Jaffar, 27, remains missing as search and rescue teams continue to comb the area.
Authorities believe the incident was caused by drowning, and investigations are ongoing with support from maritime and enforcement agencies.
