4 hours Ago By Audrey Dermawan
GEORGE TOWN: A man is feared missing at sea after falling off a boat near the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah Bridge here today.It is understood that at the time of the incident, the victim was collecting clams with his father and a friend in the area.Penang Fire and Rescue Department director Mohamad Shoki Hamzah said they received an emergency call on the incident at 10.
39am.He said a team of firefighters rushed to Pillar No. 274 at Km4.
2 of the bridge in Batu Kawan to conduct a search operation."Firefighters from the Batu Kawan fire and rescue station, led by senior fire officer II Lela Dollah, took about 10 minutes to arrive at the scene."The victim has been identified as 28-year-old Ismail Ahmad.
The search operation is ongoing as he has yet to be found," he said today.Shoki said the incident occurred after the boat the victim was on collided with one of the bridge's pillars, causing him to fall into the sea."It is said that the victim was operating the boat alone, while his father and friend were on another boat.
Both of them are safe, while the victim remains missing."Firefighters are conducting a search around the location where the victim is believed to have fallen using the 'Water Surface Searching' method," he added.He said the search operation was also assisted by the Fishermen's Association, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Maritime Malaysia) Penang and the Water Rescue Team.
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