LANGKAWI: Authorities are conducting a search and rescue operation to find a man believed to have drowned off the coast of Pantai Tanjung Rhu in Langkawi yesterday.
The victim, identified as Mohammad Khairie Shaari, was last sighted by onlookers yesterday, struggling for help in the sea near the beach before submerging and disappearing.
Langkawi police chief Assistant Commissioner Shariman Ashari said the department received distress calls about the incident at 6.16pm yesterday.
"Upon initial inspection, we found an abandoned Proton Satria. The car was found unlocked with personal belongings, car keys and a Mykad believed to belong to the victim," he said in a statement today.
The search operation conducted by various agencies resumed today after it was suspended at 10pm yesterday.
Khairie's family confirmed that he had recently started working in Langkawi as a retail executive at a gold dealership.
