TWO DROWN, ONE STRUGGLES ASHORE IN OUTING AT PULAU MAWAR

MERSING, April 7 (Bernama) -- It was a day of mixed fortunes at Pulau Mawar for three on an outing when an Indian national, who was reported missing during the afternoon dip, was found drowned this evening.

Endau Fire and Rescue Station (JBPM) chief, assistant superintendent Mohd Alias ​​Hussin said the male victim, Narayanan Ravi, 45, was found 300 metres from the Pulau Mawar (a 30-minute drive from Mersing town) where he is believed to have gone missing at 4.50 pm.

"The victim was found by the operations recovery team (PKO), who then used a rope to pull the victim's body ashore," he said in a statement tonight.

The media reported earlier that a Singaporean man, Yogaraj Veeran, 37, was found floating unconscious near the beach and was brought to shore by members of the public, while a local man, K Anpananthan, 39, managed to save himself.

Mohd Alias ​​said the fire department received information about the incident at 2.37 pm, before JBPM deployed a light Fire Rescue Tender and a Toyota Hilux with a strength of seven personnel to the scene.

"The bodies of the two victims who came from Johor Bahru have been handed over to police for further action," he said, adding that the rescue operation was concluded at 6.21 pm.

In another drowning incident in Seremban, a Myanmar man was found drowned on the banks of the Kampung Sega Hilir River in Lombong Rantau this evening, 3.5 kilometres from the location where the victim had fallen in while fishing yesterday.

Seremban police chief ACP Mohamad Hatta Che Din said the search for the 35-year-old took more than 24 hours due to rain which caused the river to swell up.

"The victim was found at 4.55 pm today and the body sent to the Rembau Hospital for further action," he said in a statement here today.

He said 49 police personnel, together with the fire brigade, Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan (SAINS)  assisted in the search operation at the river.

The Myanmar national was reportedly on a fishing trip at the river near the Sungai Linggi Water Treatment Plant (WTP) here, with his younger brother and two friends yesterday evening.

-- BERNAMA