MIRI, Dec 5 ― The General Operation Force (GOF) sergeant and auxiliary police (AP) personnel who drowned after being swept away by a sudden strong gush of water in Ulu Baram on Thursday were conducting a routine patrol in the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline (SSGP) area.

Sarawak Commissioner of Police Datuk Aidi Ismail said platoon sergeant from Company A of the 12th Battallion of GOF in Miri, Simon Laja, 47, was leading three auxiliary policemen from the SSGP Layun Camp and three Samling Timber Sdn Bhd (SST) employees in a patrol along Sungai Melana, Long Kerangan in Baram when the incident occurred at about 6pm.

"All of them were walking in a shallow river when they were suddenly swept away by swift currents.

"Five of them managed to save themselves except for sergeant Simon and an auxiliary policeman known only as sergeant Kemiang who were found to be missing after that,” he said in a statement today.

A search and rescue operation involving seven GOF personnel and 27 Samling employees was immediately activated.

The bodies of Simon and Kemiang were recovered yesterday at 2pm and 2.30pm, respectively.

"The remains were taken to the Long Lama Health Clinic before being sent to the Miri Hospital for further action,” he said.

For the record, SST was awarded a contract by Petronas to carry out civil maintenance works at SSGP on January 28 last year.

SSGP is a 512-kilometre long and 36-inch (91.4cm) in diameter natural gas pipeline linking Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) in Kimanis to Petronas’s LNG complex in Bintulu, Sarawak and is part of the Sabah-Sarawak Integrated Oil and Gas Project (SSIOGP). ― Bernama