Sabah searchers find body of one boy after two teens swept away in Keningau river

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 23 — A day of mourning began in Sabah today after a 16-year-old boy's body was discovered in Sungai Pegalan, Keningau, leaving his 13-year-old friend missing. The tragic incident unfolded during a recreational outing, as the boys were swept away by the strong current. Jasti Gomen, the deceased, was found within 50 meters of where he and Khend Rommel Ponce Caceres were believed to have fallen into the river.

The Malaysian Civil Defence Force confirmed the incident, stating that the boys were standing along the riverbank when they suddenly fell into the water, quickly swept away by the current. Distraught family members alerted the police, triggering a search and rescue operation. The Keningau District Operations Control Centre received the report via social media at 7.24 pm yesterday and dispatched personnel to the scene 15 minutes later to verify the situation and meet the families.

A joint effort involving seven police officers, nine firefighters, and 13 APM personnel is currently deployed at the scene, diligently searching the river and surrounding areas for Khend, whose fate remains unknown.