Search for missing Long Laput hunter extended to caves, forests in 5 areas

MIRI (Oct 3): The search and rescue (SAR) operation for a villager who went missing in Long Laput during a hunting trip last week has been extended to caves and forests in five areas of coverage.

Michael Asun Atang, 40, was reported missing by his family when he failed to return home while hunting with two others.

The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said yesterday team SAR 1 searched the river and banks in four boats both upstream and downstream of Long Laput.

SAR 2, consisting of eight villagers, searched on foot starting from the last location where Michael and his companions had gathered.

“SAR 3 with a total of 12 members conducted a search by entering Lubang Askar Cave, Lumut Cave, Lawai Cave 1, Lawai Cave 2, Lawai Cave 3, and Sungai Aru Cave,” Bomba said in a statement.

“Team SAR 4 of 14 people searched using a sweeping technique outside the outer area of ​​the cave horizontally, while SAR 5, with a strength of eight people, searched along the nearby road junction.”

Besides firefighters and villagers, police and Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel are also assisting in the search.

There has been no further indication of the victim’s whereabouts.

Michael and two others, known as Stephan Wan Sin and Ah Ngung, went hunting on Friday at around 1pm in an area opposite Kampung Long Laput.

The other two returned safely to the village without Michael, leading his family to lodge a police report on Sunday afternoon.