SAR launched as elderly man goes missing after falling from Lutong Bridge

MIRI (Jan 21): A search-and-rescue (SAR) operation was launched today following a report of an elderly man who had fallen from the Lutong Bridge at Jalan Miri-Pujut earlier in the afternoon.

The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sarawak Operations Centre, in a media statement, said they received a distress call at around 2.15pm.

“Witnesses said the victim, an elderly man, had fallen into the river from the Lutong Bridge.

“Seven firefighters from Bomba Lutong, assisted by another seven from the Miri station, had gone to the site of the incident.

“Following that, a control centre was set up at Kampung Pangkalan Lutong.

“The SAR team was set up at 3pm, and they immediately carried out the search in areas within the vicinity of where the victim was last seen,” it said.

Bomba also said the team went out to cover up about 1km upriver and downriver using a boat.