A map showing the distance from where a boy who went missing in Tuaran district and found at a beach in Sabah's northern Kudat district.
KOTA KINABALU: The body of a 13-year-old boy, who fell off a hanging bridge while taking selfies in Tuaran a week ago, was found along a beach about 102km away in northern Kudat district.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Services Department spokesman said that members of the public discovered the body of Mohd Hisham Iskandar Azli at about 9.10am Saturday (July 15) at Kg Rukom in Kudat.
Mohd Hisham was positively identified by family members at 4.15pm, the spokesman said, adding that the body was handed over to the police for further action.
The victim was taking selfies on a suspension bridge at Kg Telibung in Tuaran district when he fell into the river at about 2.30pm on July 8.
He is believed to have either stood or sat on the railing of the suspension bridge when he slipped and fell into the river, according to the initial report received by the firemen.
Mohd Hisham was swept away by strong river currents as he tried his best to swim to the riverbank but failed.
Two of his friends had also dived into the river to try and rescue him, but they couldn’t fight the current and had to swim to shore to save themselves, according to the initial report provided to Tuaran Fire Station chief Mohd Abd Qawie Abdul Gapar.
A multi-agency search and rescue operation was launched along the river and the river mouth to no avail. The search was officially called off at 5pm Saturday after the boy was identified by the family.
The victim is believed to have been pushed into the open sea and taken by currents to Kudat's northernmost coast.
The road distance between Tuaran to the area in Kudat was about a three-hour drive covering a distance of about 130km.
