OYA: A search and rescue (SAR) operation has been launched to find a fisherman who went missing and is believed to be attacked by a crocodile while looking for prawns at Batang Oya here on Saturday.
Dalat district police chief ASP Haswata Abdullah Buyong said the victim has been identified as Ali Baba Dahri, 52, from Kampung Kuala Hilir here.
He said police received a report from a villager that the victim was attacked by a creature believed to be a crocodile while menjala udang (looking for prawns) at Batang Oya.
“The main witness said he heard the victim shouting about 100 metres away, and when he went over to the place, the victim was nowhere to be found except his boat with fishing equipment inside,” he said.
He was briefing Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah during her visit to the SAR operation centre near the site of the incident on Saturday.
Haswata said after the witness saw what happened, he returned home to inform the victim’s family and subsequently lodged a police report.
The SAR operation began at 7am Saturday with help from the village development and security committee (JKKK), in putting up the camp and in setting up the operation centre.
Some 200 people comprising the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defense Force, People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), community Bomba, and local villagers are helping in the search operation.
As at press time, the victim is yet to be found.
