Missing man found safe after overnight search in Tubau orchard
by Philip Wong · Borneo Post OnlineSIBU (Dec 25): A 28-year-old man who went missing while collecting durians at his orchard in Sungai Seda, Tubau, Bintulu, has been found safe and sound.
The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), in a statement, said it received a distress call at about 4.09pm on Dec 24 and deployed two personnel from the Bintulu Fire and Rescue Station to the scene.
“Initial investigations found that the victim had travelled to his orchard with a friend to collect durians before he went missing on Dec 23,” the statement said.
The statement said the journey to the orchard took about three minutes by boat via the river and another 25 minutes on foot from the riverbank of Sungai Jelalong Tubau.
On Dec 23, at about 12.30pm, the statement said the victim decided to return early to the durian hut after finishing collecting durians while his friend continued the activity.
After completing the task, the friend returned to the hut but did not find the victim there. Search efforts around the orchard and nearby riverbank were carried out, but no trace of the victim was found.
At about 3.50pm the same day, the friend returned to the village to inform villagers and the victim’s family of the disappearance.
“Search efforts involving villagers and family members were conducted at about 4pm, but there was still no sign of the victim before a police report was lodged,” the statement said.
Bomba, assisted by 10 police personnel, subsequently launched a search and rescue operation.
“The victim was found by workers from a logging camp at about 9.15am today,” the statement said, adding that the operation was officially called off at 9.40am.