Lahad Datu water surge: Three drown
Published on: Tuesday, May 07, 2024
By: Azmie Lim
The three victims who drowned.
Kota Kinabalu: Three hikers drowned while 12 others survived a water surge incident at a river in the Lembah Maksina area, Makuau, Tungku, near here, Sunday night.
Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Department Chief Sumsoa Rashid said the search and rescue operation was called off at 1pm Monday (May 6) after the bodies of the three victims were found.
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On the initial report that 17 people were caught in the incident, Sumsoa said it was ascertained that 15 people - four guides and 11 trekkers - were part of the group that got swept away by the water surge.
“From the four guides, one died while another was rescued and two others fled to safety. And from the 11 trekkers, two died, so three people died (and 12 survived) in total,” he said.
From the police’s interview with the survivors, Sumsoa said it was learnt that there could be up to 18 people in the group.
However, he said the details of the additional three people could not be established.
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“They could be villagers who tagged along with the group on their own.
“So, there are only 15 people in the group. These are the figures we used to coordinate with the police and they will also use these numbers.
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Meanwhile, Lahad Datu police confirmed that 15 individuals, including four tourist guides, were involved in the incident.
District Police Chief ACP Dzulbaharin Ismail, in a press conference, said three individuals comprising a tourist guide and two participants drowned in the incident.
He identified the victims as Saleh Latani (tourist guide), a foreigner, and two locals, Rosnaneh Mutahir and Saharuddin Badaruddin.
He said 12 others survived, three of whom managed to get out of the scene on their own, while nine others were rescued by the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM).
“Police received information pertaining to the incident at 8.30pm and rushed to the scene to join the rescue operation with JBPM, Civil Defence Force and the Forestry Department,” he added.
According to Dzulbaharin, prior to the incident, 11 individuals participated in the river hiking activities with the guidance of four tourist guides, led by a man known as Salleh.
“Preliminary investigation showed all the participants are colleagues and working at oil palm plantation in Lahad Datu, and the tourist guides are not trained.
“No approval or permission was also obtained for the river hiking activities from the Forestry Department or JBPM,” he said, adding the Tungku police station was also not informed.
Dzulbaharin said river hiking activities in the area have been suspended by the Forestry Department due to its challenging and difficult-to-control route.
He said river hiking activities there require the participants to walk and swim under water. The participants must also wear life jackets and need to be assisted with ropes and others.
“This area under the Silabukan Forest Reserve is very challenging as both sides of the route are stone walls. In the event of a water surge, there is no place to escape.
“Notice have been placed to stop the public from entering the Forest Reserve. However, there are still tourism operators that carry out such activities,” he said.
Dzulbaharin urged the public to always be extra careful when conducting challenging activities such as river hiking and also obtain approval from the related agencies.
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