TDM Confirms One Solder Killed, Another Still Missing In Water Surge Incident In Banding, Perak

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Army (TDM) has confirmed that one of its personnel was found dead while another is still missing in a water surge incident while patrolling in Banding, Perak on November 30.

TDM in a statement said in the incident, the two victims along with the seven personnel were believed to have been swept away in a head-on water surge while conducting a patrol near Sungai Merah in Permatang, the Malaysia-Thailand border in Operation KOTA, ECHO, FOXTROT Series 6/2024 at about 8 am.

The statement informed that the seven personnel involved were found safe at 12.30 pm on the day of the incident, but LCpl Mohd Afandi Jahwin from the 21st Commando team, Sungai Udang Camp, Melaka and LCpl Ahmad Zulhilmi Ahmad Tamizi from the 22nd Commando team, Iskandar Mersing Camp were reported missing.

“On Dec 1, around 6 pm, one of the missing personnel, Mohd Afandi, who hailed from Matu, Sarawak, was found by the riverbank about three kilometres from the Troop Headquarters and was confirmed dead by the rescue team.

"The body of Mohd Afandi was taken out of the operation location by aircraft yesterday at 12.41 pm and was taken to Taiping Hospital for a post-mortem before being flown by the RMAF EC725 aircraft (to Sibu Airport) and then taken to Kampung Jamerong for burial at the Jamerong Cemetery at 8.45 pm tonight," according to the statement.

The statement said that efforts to find the second missing member, Ahmad Zulhilmi, were still being carried out by a rescue team consisting of five officers and 112 members starting from the scene of the incident in Sungai Merah along the Perak River.

Ahmad Zulhilmi hails from Kampung Padang Limau, Sungai Petani Kedah.

Meanwhile, Army chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan and all TDM personnel are saddened by the loss of their member and expressed their condolences to the family members of the late Mohd Afandi.

-- BERNAMA