KUALA TERENGGANU: A man is feared drowned while trying to save five passengers in a four-wheel-drive vehicle which plunged into Sungai Terengganu on Pulau Warisan, here at about 9.30 pm last night.
It is understood that the victim, Abdul Bari Asyraf Mohd, 31, from Kampung Panji, Kuala Terengganu was fishing with a friend before a Mitsubishi Storm vehicle which was parked nearby started to slide and plunged into the river.
Besides Bari, two other men were believed to have tried to save the passengers, but only they themselves managed to get back safely to land. The five passengers in the vehicle were also safe.
According to the victim’s mother, Masitah Awang, 60, her son left their home after Asar prayers to go fishing with his good friend.
“Bari really liked to fish. Any free time he had, he would go out fishing with his friends at any fishing spot.
“He went out early today and returned home to pray and have lunch before going out again after Asar,” she said when met at the location.
Masitah said she only knew of the incident after she was informed by her husband Mohd Mustafa, 66, who received a telephone call from the police at about 10 pm.
Meanwhile, the traffic accident is believed to have occurred when the Mitsubishi Storm was sideswiped by another car, causing it to skid to the roadside and plunge into the river.
The full identity of the car’s occupants – a woman in her late 40s; her daughter, in her 20s; and her grandchild, 2 – has not been established.
The vehicle’s fourth occupant, the woman’s husband, managed to escape the sinking vehicle. His cries from the bank of the river are what alerted the anglers to the emergency.
A short video clip taken in the moments immediately after the 4WD vehicle landed in the river was uploaded to Facebook and has gone viral. The footage shows two men trying to save the passengers of the truck, which sinks within seconds.
Kuala Terengganu Fire and Rescue Department chief Rozizah Abni Hajar said they were alerted to the incident at about 9.40pm, and a search and rescue (SAR) operation by seven divers was launched to locate Bari.
It is also learnt that another man – a passerby – also jumped into the river to attempt to rescue the Mitsubishi Storm’s passengers.
Omar Abdul Aziz Othman, 27, said he was shopping with his family near the area when the accident occurred.
“…I heard someone shouting for help and I went to check it out. After I saw a car with occupants sinking in the river, I quickly jumped into the water and swam about 50 metres to the car.
“I managed to save two women, while the other victims were saved by others nearby.
“At about the same time, I saw one of the rescuers floating. I believe he was the first to jump into the river,” he said.
All the survivors were rushed to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital for treatment.
More to follow