A man who went missing after falling from a boat in Sungai Kobat near Taman Impian on Tuesday was found drowned early Thursday morning.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) operations assistant director Mohd Salahuddin Isa said the body of Muhammad Firdaus Zuharsema, 26, was discovered at about 2.30am, approximately 300 metres from where he was reported to have fallen into the river.
He said search and rescue operations entered their second day at 7.15am and involved personnel from the Indera Mahkota and Taman Tas fire stations.
The operation was further supported by the Water Rescue Team (PPDA) from the Pekan and Kuantan fire stations, the Fire and Rescue Department’s K9 unit, police, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), Jabatan Amal Malaysia and members of the public.
Search teams combed a one-kilometre stretch of the river surface from the location of the incident, while PPDA divers conducted underwater searches up to 100 metres from the site at a depth of seven metres.
Initial investigations revealed that the victim, who was seated at the front of the boat, was thrown into the river after the vessel struck a large piece of wood.
The incident occurred at about 10am on Tuesday while the victim and his friend, Badrul Afiq Jaillany Zam Zam, 24, were returning to a jetty after collecting bait for catfish fishing lines.
Badrul survived the incident unharmed.
Authorities later recovered the victim’s body and handed it over for further action following the completion of the search operation.
