A 55-year-old subcontractor drowned after his boat hit a log in Pontian, Johor; his body was found last night while his nine-year-old adopted son survived
JOHOR BAHRU: A 55-year-old subcontractor who fell into a river after his boat hit a log has been found dead.
The body of Tan Siang Fook, also known as Albert Tan, was discovered floating near the riverbank in Tanjung Ayer Hitam last night.
Pontian police chief Hadzrat Mion Hussein said the victim was found about 200 metres from where he fell from the boat.
The body was located by a local man, Mohamad Azwan Abdul Aziz, who was assisting in the search operation.
“There were no visible external injuries on the victim’s body,” said Hadzrat in a statement today.
The victim’s identity card was found inside a waist pouch he was wearing.
The incident occurred yesterday morning while Tan was fishing with his nine-year-old adopted son, Chong Hao Chen.
They had rented a 20-horsepower motorboat at about 8 am from Jeti Bumbung Biru.
The boat is believed to have struck a log obstructing the waterway, causing Tan to fall into the river about 800 metres from the jetty.
The boy survived the incident by clinging to the boat.
Neither Tan nor the child was wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.
The search and rescue operation involved personnel from the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force and Ministry of Health.
They were assisted by villagers living near the jetty.
The case had earlier gone viral on social media after posts claimed the boy was found by the public at a separate location.
These posts prompted efforts to trace the child’s family.
