Family cheats death, son resuscitated after pickup truck plunges into pond

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Firemen carrying the son from the pond to a waiting ambulance.

BINTULU: A family of three cheated death after a pickup truck they were travelling in skidded off the road and plunged into a pond at KM115 of Sibu-Bintulu Road yesterday morning.

The family, comprising a 56-year-old man and his 53-year-old wife, along with their 26-year-old son, was heading to Bintulu when the mishap happened around 10.50am.

Passing motorists came to their aid by not only pulling the family out of their submerged vehicle, but also reviving the son who had briefly stopped breathing after swallowing water.

The unresponsive son is pulled from the submerged pickup truck and resuscitated shortly after.

Bintulu Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) station chief Dihata Gobel said eight personnel from Tatau fire station, led by Mamat Rhayi, were deployed to the scene for a rescue mission following a distress call.

He said upon their arrival at the scene, they learned that all three victims had been rescued and had sustained minor physical injuries.

The family was hospitalised following the accident, with the son sent to Sibu Hospital for further treatment.

It is believed the driver lost control of the pickup truck while trying to overtake another vehicle.