Body of missing fireman found after 19 hours

 

A team of 160 people was involved in the search for fireman Izwan Illias, 42, after he fell off a boat in Mak Mandin, Penang, on Thursday. (Fire and Rescue Department pic)

BUTTERWORTH: The body of a fireman reported missing after falling into the river while carrying out maintenance work on a boat yesterday has been found after a 19-hour search.

Fire and rescue director-general Nor Hisham Mohammad said the body of Izwan Illias, 42, was found by the search team at 5.32pm, some 20m from where he fell.

Nor Hisham said the body was later handed to the police and taken to hospital for further action.

He added that the fireman had died in the line of duty and would be buried with full honours at his hometown in Kampung Pekan Darat, Seberang Perai Utara.

Izwan went missing after falling off a boat while carrying out maintenance work at the fire and rescue department’s marine jetty in Mak Mandin last night.

A search was launched involving 140 staff of the department, nine from Perak and 13 from Kedah, and assisted by 20 policemen. - FMT