LAHAD DATU: The police investigation revealed that the group of people who engaged in river trekking at Lembah Maksina, Makuau, here on Sunday, did not obtain permission from the authorities.
District Police Chief ACP Dzulbaharin Ismail said that river trekking activities in the area had been suspended by the Forestry Department due to the challenging route.
He confirmed that a total of 15 individuals, including four tourist guides, were involved in Sunday’s tragedy.
“Three individuals, comprising one tourist guide and two participants, drowned in the incident,” he told at a press conference on Monday.
The victims were identified as Saleh Latani, a foreign tourist guide, along with two locals, Rosnaneh Mutahir and Saharuddin Badaruddin.
Dzulbaharin explained that 12 others survived – three managed to escape on their own, while nine were rescued by the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM).
In preliminary investigations, it was discovered that all the participants were colleagues working at an oil palm company in the area.
