A search and rescue operation is underway for a man who went missing after leaving his home in Bayan Baru on June 10.
GEORGE TOWN: Police and the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM), today launched a search and rescue (SAR) operation for a man reported missing after leaving his home in Persiaran Mayang Pasir 2, Bayan Baru, on June 10.
Barat Daya District Police chief ACP Anuwal Ab Wahab said the SAR operation involved 30 police personnel working with JBPM to search for Shahir Zainul, 45, who was last seen leaving his house at about 5 am on a motorcycle.
“”The victim’s mother lodged a missing person report on June 12 after her son failed to return home for two days following a disagreement over a request for money. The discovery of his motorcycle and helmet by the roadside along Lebuh Bukit Jambul provided the initial lead to widen the search,” he told reporters.
He said the location where the motorcycle was found, near a durian orchard, coupled with the current durian season, raised the possibility that the victim had entered the area.
Meanwhile, Penang JBPM director Mohamad Shoki Hamzah said the operation, which began at 10.30 am today, involved 35 personnel from the Paya Terubong, Jalan Perak and Bayan Baru Fire and Rescue Stations.
He said the search area has been divided into several zones to ensure a more comprehensive operation, while the victim’s son has been assisting the SAR team by identifying the route his father was believed to have taken.
“The search radius covers an estimated two to three acres within the durian orchard, with the duration of the operation to be determined based on leads obtained from time to time,” Mohamad Shoki said.
The victim’s mother, Salmah Shamsudin, 72, expressed hope that her youngest son would be found soon regardless of his condition, while the victim’s son, Muhammad Ali Imran, 15, said he found his father’s motorcycle on June 13 during his own search but was not allowed to enter the durian orchard.
