KOTA KINABALU: Swimming with friends turned tragic when a local man drowned at a waterfall in Kampung Kabar, Sipitang on Sunday.
Fire and rescue personnel only managed to retrieve the body of Ridwan Saidin, 25, on February 8, about 16 hours after the 4pm incident on February 7.
It is believed that the victim was swimming in the river with friends when he got into difficulties.
A search and rescue operation by the Fire and Rescue Department was called off at 6pm on Monday due to darkness and resumed at 6am the next day.
The body of Ridwan was found around 8.30am the following day.
State Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Superintendent Mohd Affendy Ramli said the Sipitang Fire and Rescue station received a distress call at 4.26pm on February 7 and immediately sent a team to the scene.
“The operation was called off around 6pm due to darkness and resumed the next day.
“Around 8.30am on Monday, Fire and Rescue personnel from the scuba unit found the victim’s body several meters from where he was earlier reported missing.
“We then handed over the body to the police for further action,” he said, adding that the operation ended at 9am.