Yahya’s remains arrive in Sibu for burial in hometown
SIBU: The remains of Yahya Ali, 24, who drowned with five other colleagues during a search and rescue ( SAR) operation in an unused mining pool near Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong, Selangor, Wednesday night, arrived at Sibu Airport at 5.30pm yesterday.
Among those at the airport to receive and pay their final respects were Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department ( Bomba) director Khirudin Drahman and 70 officers and personnel from various stations under Bomba Zone 4 comprising Sibu, Bintangor and Kanowit.
The body was then taken to his hometown of Kampung Tian in Matu on board a Bomba helicopter for funeral.
Yahya, a diver with the Water Rescue Team ( PPDA) drowned with five other firemen during a SAR operation for a teenager who went missing after he fell into a disused mining pool in Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong at 9.15pm Wednesday.
Yahya and three other divers – Mohd Fatah Hashim, 34, Izatul Akma Wan Ibrahim, 32, and Mazlan Omarbaki, 25 - were from Port Klang Bomba station.
He called last night (Wednesday) prior to the SAR operation to seek my blessing. Halimah Geronggong, Yahya’s mother
The other two victims – Adnan Othman, 33, and Muhammad Hifdzul Malik Shaari, 25, were PPDA members from the Shah Alam Bomba station.
Yahya, the eldest of four siblings, had served in the Port Klang Bomba station for four years.
His mother, Halimah Geronggong, was quoted by online news portal Jiwa Bakti that the last time Yahya returned to the village was on July 21 to attend his niece’s wedding.
“He called last night ( Wednesday) prior to the SAR operation to seek my blessing,” she said.