Members of SAR team piggy-backing Tan out of the jungle.
JULAU: An elderly man, who had been missing since May 19, was found alive by rescuers yesterday having survived on a diet of frogs and wild plants.
Bintangor Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) chief Nicholas Belulin said that Tan Rarong, 69, was found in a weakened condition by a search-and-rescue (SAR) team in the jungle about 4km from Tan’s longhouse around 11.45am.
According to him, the elderly villager had said that he had survived on frogs and wild plants, locally known as ‘daun sabung’, throughout his seven-day ordeal.
“We took turns to piggy-back Tan out from the thick jungle before transporting him to Julau government clinic for treatment and observation,” said Nicholas.
The SAR operation was launched on May 22 after Tan’s wife, Ngalai Chendai, reported him missing the previous day.
Ngalai, 67, and her husband had initially set out for their pepper farm – a 10 minute walk from their longhouse – on May 19, with Tan bringing along some food as he planned to go hunting after finishing the day’s work at the farm.
When her husband did not return last Sunday morning, Ngalai began to worry about his safety and decided to go to the garden to look for him before eventually lodging a police report at Julau police station.
Among those involved in the SAR operation were local policemen, members of police canine unit, and longhouse residents.