KOTA KINABALU (ANN/THE STAR) – Three individuals have died, and three more are being searched following an incident where hikers were caught in a water surge in Lahad Datu, Sabah. The tragic event occurred while the group, consisting of 17 people, was trekking in the Mak Sina valley at Makuau beach on Sunday evening.
Upon being caught in the water surge around 8pm, nine members of the group were successfully rescued, while two others, sustaining injuries, managed to escape independently. Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue station chief Sumsoa Rashid stated that they received an alert regarding the incident at 828pm and swiftly deployed a team to the scene, reaching there by 9.36pm, despite the location being 56 kilometres away.
The group encountered the water surge during their trekking excursion, leaving them stranded on the opposite side of a river. The injured pair made a distress call, leading to the rescue operation. Tragically, three bodies were discovered under debris at 1.37am, prompting efforts to retrieve them. The identities of the deceased remain unconfirmed as the search continues for the missing individuals.
The rescued individuals, comprising six men and three women, were safely evacuated by midnight. The injured hikers received initial medical aid from the department’s Emergency Medical Response Services before being handed over to the police. Search and rescue operations, involving the police, Civil Defence Force, and the state Forestry Department, were temporarily halted at 1.40am due to adverse weather conditions but resumed at 6am on Monday.
