PENAMPANG, Dec 17 — One person survived while another went missing when the lorry they were in plunged into a river in Kampung Baba, Penampang, early this morning.

The lorry driver, Maxmelian Lim, 26, survived in the 3.30am incident, while a friend, Mohammad Hafiz Tussin, 20, has yet to be found.

Penampang Police chief DSP Ratan Kumar Singh said initial investigations revealed that the lorry was its way to Inobong from Donggongon.

When crossing a bridge, the lorry driver lost control of the vehicle and it crashed into the bridge before plunging into the 6.4-metre Moyog River. 

Penampang Fire and Rescue Department chief Jamaluddin Hussin, when contacted, said they received a report on the incident at 3.41am and launched a search-and-rescue operation upon arriving at the scene six minutes later.

He said Hafiz, from Kapayan Ridge, was last wearing a red T-shirt.

The search for Hafiz would resume at 7 am tomorrow after it was called off at about 6pm due to darkness setting in.

The lorry was hauled out of the river at 5.50pm. — Bernama