Search On For Man Lost While Gathering Agarwood In Forest

DUNGUN, April 28 (Bernama) -- Search and rescue efforts are intensifying for a 55-year-old man who was reported missing after becoming separated from his companions while searching for agarwood in the Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve near Kampung Serdang here last Friday.

Dungun Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Irwan Abd Rashid said Mohd Nawi Ismail had ventured into the forest at about 10 am on April 24 with his younger brother, Mohd Surini, 42, and their friend, Azman Abdul Wahab, 36.

He said the Fire and Rescue Department received a call from the police at 1.41 pm today, prompting firefighters to be deployed immediately to the location where the man was last seen.

“The victim, along with his younger brother and friend, entered the forest to search for agarwood on April 24 but became separated while making their way out of the forest at 8 pm on the same day.

“As of now, the victim has yet to return home and a police report was lodged by the victim’s family today,” he said in a statement.

Irwan said a total of seven firefighters, assisted by three personnel each from the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) and the police, as well as two villagers, are conducting search operations in the area where the victim is believed to have gone missing.

Meanwhile, Azman said Mohd Nawi was very familiar with the forest terrain as he frequently searched for agarwood there.

“The victim and I often entered the forest area to search for agarwood, and he was very familiar with the terrain as it is a route we usually take,” he said.

He added that the location where the victim is believed to have gone missing lies only about one kilometre from the main road.

“From Friday until today, I, along with his family members and several villagers, have tried to search for him in the area but failed to find him before lodging a police report today,” he added.

-- BERNAMA