KOTA MARUDU, Jan 11 — A man faced a terrifying moment when his pickup truck was swept away by strong water currents while crossing a concrete bridge at Kampung Sungai Simpangan here on Friday evening.

The driver, in his 30s, was fortunate as his vehicle got stuck between a rock, where he managed to climb on to the roof of his vehicle.

Villagers who saw the incident immediately contacted the fire department for assistance.

Kota Marudu fire and rescue station chief Mohd Hasbi Hajat said his department received the emergency call at 5.20pm, and immediately deployed a team to the location.

"When they arrived, the team saw a four-wheel-drive vehicle stuck between some rocks in the middle of the river. A man was also seen on top of the roof of the vehicle,” he said.

Once the man was rescued and taken to the riverbank, he was given treatment at the scene by Emergency Medical Recue Services personnel.

"The victim only sustained minor injuries, and the operation ended without any untoward incident at 6.08pm,” said Mohd Hasbi. — The Borneo Post