SUNGAI PETANI: A fisherman is feared to have drowned after falling into the river when his boat was struck by lightning in an incident at the river mouth of Sungai Merbok, near here, early today.
Kuala Muda police chief ACP Adzli Abu Shah said the victim, identified as Mohd Nasir Marzuki, 33, had gone out fishing with his friend, Sobri Hussin, 35, from Pengkalan Bakar Arang Jetty, near here at about midnight.
He said at about 4am, when the fishermen were setting up nets at the mouth of the river about 300m from the beach, the front of the boat was suddenly struck by lightning, causing the victim to faint and fall into the river.
“The victim’s friend (Sobri) dived in to save the victim, but due to the strong current, the victim was swept away and could not be rescued...while he (Sobri) was rescued by other fishermen who were in the area and taken to Bukit Lintang Jetty, near here, at about 5am,“ he said in a statement here today.
Adzli said the police received a call regarding the incident at 5.30am, and efforts were underway to find the victim with personnel from the Marine Police Force, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and Malaysian Civil Defence Force mobilised to the scene.
“The search and rescue operation began at 9 am involving five police boats, as well as several boats from other rescue teams, and so far (as of 2pm), the victim has not been found,“ he said. — Bernama
