Car pulled from river after plunging in, but 77-year-old driver still missing near Sungai Petani

SUNGAI PETANI, October 3 — A 77-year-old man named Mat Yusof Hashim is still missing after his car is believed to have fallen into a river near Sungai Petani earlier today. The incident occurred around 1am when the elderly driver was reportedly en route from Jalan Kuala Ketil to Felda Teloi Timur. According to Kuala Muda police chief ACP Hanyan Ramlan, the driver was initially thought to have drowned, but the Proton Wira vehicle was recovered from the river using a crane.

To his surprise, the victim was not found inside the damaged vehicle. The Fire and Rescue Department is currently conducting a search and rescue operation in the area surrounding the river. The extent of the car's damage, particularly to the front and doors, has been assessed, and it has since been transported to the Kuala Muda Traffic Police Station. The police investigation is ongoing, and the incident's classification remains pending.