Drones deployed to widen search for three missing victims in Sungai Pertak water surge

KUALA KUBU BARU: The search for three foreigners missing after being swept away by a water surge at Sungai Pertak on Monday has been expanded, with the deployment of drones for aerial searches.

The Police Air Operations Force drone unit began its search at 7am today, covering a five-kilometre radius from a bridge near the Kampung Pertak junction.

Three members of the unit from the Subang Air Base operated two drones — the Matrice 300 RTK and Autel Evo Max — each capable of flying for up to 45 minutes.

The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department's Air Division also deployed three drones to assist in the search.

Meanwhile, media personnel were barred from entering the incident site at the Sungai Pertak recreational area today and were instead asked to remain at a nearby bridge, about 1.3km away.

Media personnel will only be allowed into the area when a press conference is held.

Checks found that the search also involved fire department boats, with the search radius extended downstream to the area beneath the Sungai Selangor bridge.

Earlier, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Ashrul Riezal Asbar said today's operation focused on surface searches around the bridge and near the Sungai Selangor Dam.

The three missing victims are Yemeni Al Maamari Ahmed Hadi Ali, 20, and two Indian nationals, Chinnasamy Duraimurugan, 36, and Monikkoth Raghunath.

They were among 34 people who had been visiting Sungai Pertak for recreation on Monday afternoon when the sudden surge occurred.

Eight people, including a local, were swept away in the incident. Five of them were found yesterday.

As of 11.40am today, there had been no new developments or discoveries in the search operation.