A man is suspected to have drowned after falling from a boat while shovelling cockles near the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge, also known as the Second Penang Bridge, this morning. According to the Penang Fire and Rescue Department’s director, Mohamad Shoki Hamzah, the victim has been identified as Ismail Ahmad, aged 28, and remains missing.
Six personnel from the Batu Kawan Fire and Rescue Station were dispatched to the scene after an emergency call was received at 10.39am, initiating a search and rescue operation. Mohamad Shoki stated, “The incident involved a boat that had hit pole number 274 on the Second Bridge, and there was a victim, the operator, who fell into the sea.”
The victim’s father and a friend were present at the location during the incident, albeit in a separate boat and were not involved in the mishap. Search efforts are being actively conducted at the site where Ismail is believed to have fallen, employing the water surface searching method. The operation is being supported by the Fishermen’s Association, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), and the Water Rescue Team (PPDA).
