SUNGAI PETANI: A fisherman who was reported missing yesterday after falling into a river here when his boat was hit by lightning was found drowned early today.

Kuala Muda police chief ACP Adzli Abu Shah said the body of Mohd Nasir Marzuki, 23, a riverine fisherman, was found by a local fisherman about 10 metres from where he was reported to have fallen at the mouth of Sungai Merbok at about 12.30 am.

"A team from the Fire and Rescue Department went to the location and brought up the victim's body and handed it over to the police for further action.

"The victim's identity was confirmed by family members and the body was sent to the Sultan Abdul Halim Shah Hospital for a post-mortem. The case has been classified as sudden death," he said in a statement here.

In yesterday's incident, Mohd Nasir was out fishing with a friend, Sobri Hussin, 35, from the Pengkalan Bakar Arang Jetty near here at about midnight (on May 7).

Around 4 am, when they were casting nets at the mouth of the river, about 300 metres from the riverbank, the front of the boat was suddenly struck by lightning causing Mohd Nasir to faint and fall overboard.

Sobri dived in to save him, but due to the strong currents, the victim was swept away and could not be rescued

He was rescued by other fishermen who were in the area and taken to the Bukit Lintang Jetty nearby.

-- BERNAMA