SAR on day six still fails to find the missing man

SONG, 4 Nov: Search and rescue (SAR) operation of a man reported missing in Pera River area, Nanga Bangkit enters the sixth day today, but the victim has not yet been found.

The victim, James Nanta, 52, of the Cellular Sisters Home in Betong, was reported missing on October 26.

According to a statement from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Sarawak's Operations Movement Centre (PGO), today's search operation started at 8.30 am involving JBPM, Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Malaysian Public Defence Force (APM) as well as villagers.

"The search team used three methods, namely Fan Searching, Follow The Stream and Cross The Grain to track down the victims.

"The search is concentrated in the Pera River watershed within a seven-kilometer radius. The weather throughout the operation was reported to be good, but the current condition of the river is relatively strong", according to the statement.

The operation led by PBK I 11205 Peter Jinang of the Song Bombing and Rescue (BBP) Hall was postponed at 4.30 pm on orders of the Song District Police Chief due to darker conditions as well as security factors for search teams.

SAR is scheduled to resume at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Among the challenges faced by the rescue team were travel to the scene which took a long time via ballast roads and using long boats, in addition to the lack of radio coverage of Government Integrated Radio Communication System (GIRN) in the area.