KUCHING: After nine days, the final victim of the March 7 boat capsize incident in Sungai Batang Baleh, Kapit, was found drowned today.
The body of Constable Iskandar Ibrahim, 28, was discovered floating by members of the public at around 11.30am.
Sarawak Police Commissioner, Datuk Mancha Ata, said the victim's body was found in the Teluk Seputin area, about 7km downstream from the location of the incident.
According to him, the victim's remains are currently at Kapit Hospital, with a post-mortem scheduled to be conducted on Monday.
"Once the examination and other procedures are completed, the remains will be flown for burial arrangements in his hometown in Kelantan," he said when contacted today.
Yesterday, the victim's wife, Anis Nur Ezzati, in a Facebook post, appealed for prayers from the public for her husband to be found regardless of his condition.
In the incident at about 5pm on March 7, a boat carrying five individuals capsized in Sungai Batang Baleh near the SK Lepong Baleh jetty. One person was rescued by civilians, while four others, including two policemen, were swept away by strong currents.
At the time of the incident, both policemen, including Iskandar, were en route from Kuching to Nanga Tulie, Kapit, escorting an explosive material weighing 35kg.
On March 9, two victims were found drowned, namely Jack Balan, who was found floating by police personnel on Pulau Kerto, Sibu, at 10am. The second body, Sergeant Jonathan Lambet, was found floating by firefighters at 4.02pm on the same day, about 5km from the location of the sunken boat in Sungai Batang Baleh.
The third body, Amerson John Nain, was found floating in Sungai Batang Lebaan, Sibu, on the evening of March 10.
The search and rescue (SAR) operation, activated since March 7, involved 12 personnel including the K9 Unit of the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), 17 police personnel including the Drone Unit, nine Civil Defence Force personnel, five members of the Sarawak Rivers Board (LSS), three from the Kapit Resident's Office, and staff from the Kapit Drainage and Irrigation Department.