TAWAU: Two men were reported to have drowned in separate incidents in Sungai Balung and Sungai Udin, here, within 24 hours.
The first, according to Tawau District Fire and Rescue Station Chief Jemishin Ujin, involved an 84-year-old identified as Awing Masakiran who drowned in Sungai Balung.
He said a Fire and Rescue team had to walk 10km to reach the scene to retrieve the body because the area was inaccessible to cars.
“The Ministry of Health called the department at 6.23pm to ask for assistance in retrieving the body. The operation ended at 8.52pm on Wednesday,” he added.
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His body was discovered at 1.09pm on Thursday about 200 metres from where his boat was found stranded at the river on Wednesday night.
The Filipino’s body was handed over to the police for further action.
The rescue team initially received a call from the Kalabakan police station about a man who had drowned in the Sungai Udin estuary.
The victim’s boat was found stranded at the river mouth at 9.50pm on Wednesday. The operation ended at 1.30pm on Thursday.
Police and the Civil Defence Force assisted in the operation.
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