Rescue team finds dead croc in its search for missing boy

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MYSTERIOUS DEATH: The crocodile that was found dead in Samarahan River. — Photo by Thomas Wong

MYSTERIOUS DEATH: The crocodile that was found dead in Samarahan River. — Photo by Thomas Wong

KUCHING: The 15-year-old boy feared drowned after jumping into Samarahan River to get his T-shirt last Sunday is still missing at press time yesterday.

Mohamad Hiswandi Dollia, from Kampung Niup, was fishing with two other boys when the incident happened.

The search and rescue team looking for Hiswandi found a dead 12-foot-long female crocodile floating near the spot where Hiswandi went missing instead.

The civil defence personnel discovered the dead reptile at about 11am.

An hour later, villagers cut open the crocodile to check its stomach for human remains.

Since no human bones were found, they ruled out the possibility of the boy being attacked by the reptile.

The dead crocodile was then taken away by officers of Sarawak Forestry Corporation to determine the cause of death.

Meanwhile, the boy’s uncle Mohd Sidup Suliman, 44, said the river is crocodile-infested and there had been two recent cases of attacks on humans by the reptile.

“We fear the worst (for Hiswandi), because there are crocodiles in the river.

“The kampung folk will continue assisting the authorities with the search and rescue,” he said.