THE six firefighters who drowned while searching for a missing teenager in a disused mining pond were pinned down by strong currents in shallow water, said Fire and Rescue Department director-general Mohamad Hamdan Wahid.
The search and rescue operation had complied with all procedures but the environment yesterday was unexpectedly challenging, he told reporters today.
He said the water in the mining pond was not deep but the divers from the department’s Water Rescue Unit were searching in an area where water was gushing down on them, causing the rescuers to slip and pull each other down along with the tether they were all attached to.
“The water is not deep but there was a strong overflow as it had rained earlier in the afternoon.
“The rescue was carried out in an area where there was strong gushing water, causing them to slip,” said Hamdan after attending funeral prayers for the six firemen in Shah Alam today, which was attended by about 500 people.
The tragedy occurred at Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong last night, after a 17-year-old boy fell into the mining pond where he had gone fishing with friends.
The search for the teen, Mohd Ilham Fahmi Mohd Azam, resumed at 8am today, said the fire department’s Selangor Zone 5 commander Izman Adnan.
Sepang district police chief Abdul Aziz Ali earlier said the rescuers had been caught in a “whirlpool”.
The six divers were unconscious when they were pulled out of the water and failed to respond to CPR.
Four of the divers who died were from the Port Klang station. They were identified as Mohd Fatah Hashim, 34, Izatul Akma Wan Ibrahim, 32, Mazlan Omarbaki, 25, and Yahya Ali, 24.
The other two, from the Shah Alam station, were identified as Adnan Othman, 33, and Muhammad Hifdzul Malik Shaari, 25
Their bodies are being taken back to their hometowns for burial.
It is the first time in the fire department’s history that they have lost this many personnel in a single incident. – October 4, 2018.
History, propaganda are no bedfellows
Penang Institute wants to draw locals back to lit fest
Honouring the spirit of Malaysia 1963
Umno bukan lagi pemain politik negara, kata penganalisis
Comments
heartfelt condolences to the families
heard over radio (just now) ie three married and rest bachelors
i hope there is some form of departmental insurance or otherwise for their families tide over this challenging times
may the good lord bless their souls and empower their families to bear this misfortune with the appropriate fortitude
amen
Posted 7 years ago by Warrick singh dhalial · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by The Lone Ranger ... · Reply
Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply