PEKAN: A plantation worker is feared to have drowned after losing control of his motorcycle and landing into a ditch before being swept away by flood waters at the Sungai Bebar Utara plantation near here yesterday.
In the 4.55pm incident, Muhammad Adhwa Haslan, 31, had attempted to cross the flooded road but lost control of his machine before he veered and fell into the rain-swollen ditch.
Pekan district police chief Superintendent Mohd Zaidi Mat Zin said the incident occurred when Adhwa along with his 33-year-old supervisor were returning to the staff quarters after work on separate bikes.
"Upon reaching the main road in the plantation, they realised the water in the ditch had overflowed onto the road and the stretch was under 0.33m of water. Both of them decided to ride through and Adhwa was halfway through crossing when he lost control and fell into the drain.
"His supervisor immediately stopped to assist and a security guard who was nearby jumped into the ditch to help Adhwa but failed. Adhwa was swept away by the rapid currents.
"The supervisor immediately alerted the plantation manager before they decided to lodge a police report. Search and rescue operation began at 6pm but the victim could not be found and the operation will resume at 8am today," he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Pahang Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Zulfadli Zakaria said 14 firemen from the Nenasi fire station were deployed to the scene and the department's Water Rescue Unit divers had conducted surface searching but did not locate the victim.