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KOTA BELUD: An Indonesian man who was believed to have fallen into a river while carrying out sand-pulling activities using a tugboat at Kampung Paka-Paka was found dead on the second day of a search and rescue (SAR) operation on Friday.

The victim, identified as 42-year-old Vinsensius Sare Tukan, was found at 11.20am by the Water Rescue Team (PPDA) of the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department, said Kota Belud Fire and Rescue Station Chief Elge Bakuk.

He said the department received an emergency call regarding the incident at 8.58pm on Thursday, with initial information indicating that the victim had fallen into the river at about 6pm while carrying out sand-pulling activities using a tugboat.

Elge said the second day of the SAR operation began at 8am, involving surface water searches and riverbank searches, with the operation divided into six teams and nets installed from the Incident Control Post area to the Sungai Kuala Abai estuary.

He said PPDA personnel conducted a diving operation at 10.50am near the location where the victim was reported to have fallen, before his body was found at a depth of about eight metres and later handed over to police, with the operation ending at 12.30pm.