KUALA LUMPUR – Authorities continue the search for a man swept away during a sudden surge in Sungai Klang, as rescue teams found the Mitsubishi Pajero he was travelling in near the Saloma Link.
The vehicle was discovered roughly 1.5 kilometres from the site of the incident, offering new focus points for the ongoing operation.
Dang Wangi District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Sazalee Adam said the vehicle was found at 8.30am after the search and rescue (SAR) efforts resumed on Wednesday morning.
“The vehicle was found without the victim after the river water level dropped by almost one metre.
“The weather today was fairly good and the SAR operation would continue until 7pm. This discovery helps us refocus on the flow path that may have carried the victim,” he said.
The vehicle was later handed over to the company that owned it.
Sazalee said all available assets from the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) and the police had been fully mobilised, including 21 divers divided into four search zones.
He added that drones, small boats and kayaks were deployed to cover nearly 20 kilometres of the Sungai Klang waterway and that the search area had been divided into four zones extending into Selangor.
He confirmed that the victim’s mobile phone, which had still been ringing on Tuesday, was no longer active, but police continued to gather clues to narrow down the search scope.
“Yesterday the currents were strong, but today the water was calmer, clearer and less dangerous for divers. The four search sectors set since yesterday were continuing, with the 20-kilometre route examined thoroughly,” he said.
He added that any suspicious river structures or obstructions would be treated as hotspots for divers to conduct checks.
Earlier reports stated that the missing man was carrying out improvement work on Sungai Klang before he was swept away near the Saloma Link at about 5.40pm on Monday.
Sazalee previously said that at the time of the incident, 13 workers were on duty at the location, of whom 12 were successfully rescued.
They consisted of seven Indonesians, four Bangladeshis and a local.