Missing Bekenu hunter found dead in forest near home

MIRI (Jan 28): A 41-year-old man who went missing while hunting in the forest near Kampung Sepurau, Bekenu, was found dead this morning, approximately 150 metres from his home.

The victim, identified as Zaidi Talip, a Kedayan resident of the village, had been missing for three days after leaving home last Sunday evening to hunt in the nearby forest.

According to the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Operations Control Centre, an emergency call was received at 7.59am on Monday regarding a missing person in the forest.

A team from the Batu Niah Bomba station, led by operations commander PBK I Awang Azdwan, arrived at the scene at 8.44am, about 44 kilometres away.

Family members told Bomba that Zaidi had left home at around 8.30pm to hunt in the nearby forest but failed to return.

His wife attempted to call him on Monday and Tuesday, but the calls went unanswered. Concerned villagers then organised a search that evening.

A total of 34 villagers formed three search groups and combed the forest area behind the victim’s home from 7.20pm for about two hours, but were unable to locate him.

Following the unsuccessful search, a police report was lodged at the Batu Niah Police Headquarters, triggering a formal search and rescue (SAR) operation involving multiple agencies.

Villagers resumed the search at 7.30am today within a 200-metre radius of the forest area behind the victim’s home before being joined by the authorities at 9.30am.

At 10.40am, the SAR team successfully located the victim approximately 150 metres from his home.

Medical officers from the Ministry of Health confirmed that Zaidi had died at the scene. He was last seen wearing black clothing, and was known to have asthma and anxiety.

The police forensic team later arrived to carry out further investigations, and the body was handed over to the police at 1.20pm.