Kota samarahan: A missing man is feared to have been attacked by a crocodile while fishing for prawns in a river close to Kampung Lubok Punggor, Kota Samarahan, near here this evening.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, a report from the Operations Control Centre (PGO) of the Sarawak Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) said the victim, identified as Ahmad Alzadkhri Sudin, 32, had gone out with his family members early in the morning before being reported to have been attacked by a crocodile around 4 pm.

The incident happened about 200 metres from the village, and initial search efforts by residents did not find the victim. “It was reported that the victim had gone out to fish for prawns on the riverbanks of Lubuk Punggor in Simunjan using a boat, with his family members early in the morning, and the incident where the victim was attacked by a crocodile occurred around 4 pm,” according to the report.

The Sarawak JBPM PGO received an emergency call at 5.56 pm before teams from the Simunjan Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) and Kota Samarahan BBP were dispatched to the location 45 kilometres away.

The report stated that six firefighters using two four-wheel-drive vehicles arrived at the location at 7.03 pm to begin the search and rescue operations, before suspending them at 7.40 pm. They will resume the search tomorrow morning.