K9 unit, helicopter support to boost search for missing UKPS rowers tomorrow, says Kuching police chief

KUCHING (October 19): The search and rescue (SAR) operation for five missing rowers from the Sarawak Security and Enforcement Unit (UKPS) will resume tomorrow with new strategies, said Kuching police chief ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah.

Speaking to reporters after the SAR operation concluded for the day, Mohd Farhan stated that rescue divers had not made any significant discoveries today.

“We will be deploying a K9 unit from the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) as early as 6am (tomorrow) to the scour sites, and minimise interference from boats transporting fuel which could disrupt the K9’s sensitivity.

“Secondly, we will establish a monitoring team at the barrage to ensure that the area remains secure and to observe any potential movement beyond it.

He also announced plans to increase resources for tomorrow’s search, including the deployment of a helicopter unit and an expanded search area that would cover Bako to Tanjung Po.

Mohd Farhan noted that the SAR operation has received support from several non-governmental organisations and local villagers who have offered their assistance.

He urged social media users to leverage their platforms to aid in the SAR efforts by promptly reporting any suspicious objects in the Sarawak River to the authorities.

“I urge social media users to make the best use of their platforms to provide information that may benefit this incident.

“For any inquiries, please refer to us for verification,” he said.