KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 ― Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has extended condolences to the family of a fireman who died early today after a mishap during a flood evacuation operation in Melaka yesterday.

In a Facebook post, Ismail Sabri also expressed condolences to the staff of the Melaka Fire and Rescue Department over the loss of their colleague, Mohd Diya Che Jusoh, 46, who died at 3.11am at the Melaka Hospital.

"I pray that we have strength in facing this bereavement. May his soul be showered with blessings and placed among the righteous,” he said in the post.

Mohd Diya of the Melaka Tengah Fire and Rescue Station was believed to have been securing a line during floods at 5.30pm yesterday to help evacuate residents of Kampung Sungai Putat in Ayer Keroh when he lost consciousness and fell into the swift chest-high floodwaters.

Fellow firefighters pulled him out of the water and sent him to hospital. ― Bernama