A 12-YEAR-OLD boy has died after being attacked by a crocodile while fishing in a river near Kampung Empila on Thursday morning.
The victim, Arif Fahmi Aiman Mohd Tinggal, had been casting a fishing net from a small boat around 10 metres from a nearby fishing vessel when the incident occurred at approximately 7.53am.
According to a witness, the boy was heard screaming moments before his boat was found empty. The witness rushed to the location to search for the child but was unsuccessful and subsequently contacted emergency services.
A spokesperson for the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said a team was immediately dispatched from the Kota Samarahan fire station following the distress call.
“Eight personnel, accompanied by a fire engine, a four-wheel drive vehicle, and a rescue boat, arrived at the scene by 8.20am,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
At around 9.50am, the boy’s body was recovered approximately 10 metres from where he was last seen. Authorities confirmed visible crocodile bite marks on his chest and torso.
The body was transported to the jetty at Kampung Niup before being handed over to police for further action. - September 18, 2025
