Painter drowned after falling into the sea

BUKIT MERTAJAM: A painter drowned after falling into the sea on Thursday at a bridge in Perai Cargo Port.

According to a Penang Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson, the 29-year-old, Mohd Khairul Azhar Bin Mat Arik, had fallen into the sea while carrying out paint work at the scene.

The spokesperson said they received a distress call about the incident at 1.37pm, and a team of 20 firemen from Perai Fire and Rescue Station reached the scene at 1.45pm on Thursday (Dec 14).

He said the operation commander of the team, Khairul Affandi Arifin, had divided the team into three groups to conduct "water surface searching".

"The team have searched from the point of the deceased falling off at Penang Bridge and also every pole of the port.

"The team had found the deceased at the pole of 130 at 1.44pm today," he told reporters.

The spokesperson added they had sent the body to police for further action, and the operation was over by 3.26pm.