Search for missing nine-year-old girl expands to 29 km radius as JBPM continues SAR operation on third day
KAJANG: The search and rescue (SAR) operation for a nine-year-old girl who is feared to have drowned after falling into a drain in Bandar Mahkota Cheras, entered its third day today with the search being extended to Sungai Langat.
Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) operations commander Izman Adnan said the radius covered a distance of five kilometres (km) from the location of the incident around Pangsapuri Sri Hijau to the end of Sungai Long which connects to Sungai Langat.
He said the search today was also carried out from Sungai Langat as far as 24 km towards the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) water retention pond in Putrajaya, making the total search radius 29 km.
“The total rescue team today comprise 60 people from the fire brigade, the Civil Defence Force (APM) and the police, while the assets include three boats and two canoes, with a K9 unit (detection dog).
“We hope to complete the search today, aided by the good weather at the moment,” he told reporters at the scene of the incident here, today.
Izman said today’s search strategy also involved the services of the K9 Unit at several strategic locations along the deep river before the Water Rescue Team (PPDA) dived in if there were any positive leads.
Regarding the weather, he said the sunny environment with calm river currents and shallowness at knee level made it much easier for members to move along the banks and waterways.
The nine-year-old girl was reported missing after falling into a drain while trying to retrieve a ball, before being swept away by the strong current following heavy rain in the incident last Friday evening.
Fire brigade received the emergency call for the incident at 7.08 pm.
