Search continues for missing Ulu Limbang villager after capsized boat found

MIRI (Feb 27): The search and rescue operation for a missing 64-year-old villager in Ulu Limbang entered its second day on Friday.

The man’s capsized boat was found in Sungai Limbang near Kampung Long Napir on Wednesday.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said it received a report regarding the incident at 12.25am on Thursday from the Limbang district police control centre.

Kampung Long Napir headman Joshua Asong had filed a report after villagers discovered a boat, believed to belong to Hendry Sian Tama Sian, overturned in the middle of the river.

According to Bomba, Hendry went down to the river at around 9am to repair his boat at the river mouth area because it had developed mechanical problems.

Several villagers at the location earlier said they had spoken to him at around 11.30am, while he was repairing the boat by the riverbank.

At around 4pm, two brothers went to the river to cast their nets.

Upon reaching the middle of the river, near the river mouth area, the brothers spotted a capsized boat, believed to belong to Hendry.

They returned to the longhouse to inform the village head, who subsequently alerted the authorities.

Villagers headed out in two boats to search downstream at around 5.30pm but abandoned the effort by 7.30pm.

A team from the Limbang fire station led by operations commander Stanley Liaw was mobilised to the location approximately five hours away via gravel roads.

As of 12.20pm, Hendry had yet to be found.