Missing woman found drowned in Tawau river

TAWAU – A 33-year-old non-verbal woman with an intellectual disability was found drowned in a river near Taman Green, Jalan Sin Onn, here this afternoon.

Tawau Fire and Rescue Station chief Jemishin Ujin said villagers found the victim's body lodged along the riverbank at about 2pm.

"The victim was reported missing by her father at noon today, following which an initial search was conducted with the help of villagers.

"The Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call from the police at 1.56pm, informing us that the victim had drowned in a river near Taman Green. We arrived at the scene at 2.03pm and found her body lodged along the riverbank," he said in a statement today.

Jemishin said a team of firefighters equipped with personal flotation devices (PFDs) entered the river at 2.04pm and retrieved the victim.

He added that a medical officer pronounced her dead at the scene, and the operation ended at 2.38pm. –BERNAMA