Firemen recover 12-year-old’s body, sister still missing

KOTA KINABALU: The body of one of two sisters reported missing in the fast-flowing Pegalan river in Sabah’s Keningau district was recovered by search and rescue workers early Tuesday (Oct 3).

The body of 12-year-old Azila Jabar was found at 11.36am by firemen and villagers about 1.7km away from where she and her nine-year-old sister Azlina were last seen before being reported missing.

Azila’s body was found floating on the river surface and was handed over to the police.

It is believed that the siblings were playing by the river bank when Azlina fell into the river at Kampung Lingkudou at about 4.30pm on Monday (Oct 2).

Azila is believed to have jumped into the river to save her sister but both disappeared into the river. Firemen were alerted at 5.07pm on the same day.

Keningau Fire and Rescue Services Department station chief Sharudy Delamin said the search and rescue (SAR) operation on the second day started at 6.34am.

He said that the SAR operation was carried out in an area 2.5km from the location of the victim believed to have drowned.

Sharudy said the search and rescue operations were continuing for the second victim.

In the incident at about 5pm yesterday, both girls were believed to be playing near the bank of the river before Arlina fell into the river.