The body of an Indonesian labourer who went missing after falling into Sungai Pahang during a late-night prawn fishing trip has been recovered 28km downstream from where he was last seen.
The victim, 37-year-old Fahrol, was found around 9.10am today near Kampung Pelak, caught in a piece of driftwood along the riverbank.
According to Pekan district police chief Superintendent Mohd Zaidi Mat Zin, Fahrol and three friends had gone prawn netting at about 1am yesterday when their boat struck a large floating log near Kampung Sungai Pinang, throwing all four men into the river. While the others managed to climb back into the boat, Fahrol disappeared beneath the surface.
After failing to locate him, his friends lodged a police report at the Paloh Hinai station around 4pm.
A search and rescue (SAR) operation was launched involving police, firefighters, the Civil Defence Force, and local villagers. On the second day of the operation, villagers discovered the victim’s body caught on driftwood 28km from the incident site.
Fahrol’s remains have been sent to Pekan Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
