PEKAN: The missing person, after an unmanned boat was spotted spinning in circles at Sungai Pahang near the Tanah Merah Orang Asli settlement, has been identified as a Form Five student.
It is learned that Muhammad Danial Fakhrullah Moh Azri, 17, had gone fishing before he is believed to have fallen into the water in the 9am incident.
District police chief Superintendent Mohd Zaidi Mat Zin said a villager who witnessed the incident had alerted the police before policemen went to the river.
"The victim's father confirmed that the boat belonged to him and his son, Danial, was missing.
"His father told police that Danial usually went fishing at the river and might have fallen into the water.
"Search-and-rescue (SAR) operation was mounted to track the missing person with the assistance from 20 policemen and firemen, and villagers from the nearby settlements.
"The SAR operation is ongoing," he said in a statement.
It was reported earlier that an unknown person or persons was believed to have drowned after villagers at Kampung Belimbing along the riverbank spotted an unmanned fibreglass boat with the outboard motor running at full throttle turning aimlessly.