TERENGGANU Fire and Rescue Department director Hassan ‘As’ari Omar said his team has not found fresh leads in locating the final Jeram Air Putih water surge victim.

The search effort has covered an area of 59.1km up to the Sungai Kemaman basin.

The final victim is Putri Nor Fatin Karim, 14.

“Only nine victims have been found, with one still missing. The integrated search operation has ended, but the Cheneh and Chukai Fire and Rescue Stations will continue looking.

“On Monday, as reported in the media, the search team found a sling bag believed to belong to one of the victims… That’s the only new lead we have now,” he told media at the Bank Simpanan Nasional Care Fire Awareness programme at the Kuala Terengganu Fire and Rescue Station today.

He urged the public, especially villagers around Jeram Air Putih, to contact rescuers with information that can assist the search for Putri Nor Fatin.

On July 1, Karim Abdullah, 39, his wife Azizah Eiyi, 40, and their seven children from Felda Lepar Hilir 3, Pahang, went for a picnic at Jeram Air Putih with Muhammad Fikri Saliman, 24, of Batu Pahat, Johor.

All of them were swept away in a water surge.

A search was launched on July 2 after villagers found the bodies of Azizah and her 11-year-old son Muhammad Zulqarnain Haikal Karim. She was found floating 24km from the scene while her son was found 2km from the site.

The nine victims have been laid to rest. – Bernama, July 12, 2023.