Form Four student missing after marathon race

Hulu Terengganu Police chief DSP Hussin Deraman said since Ahmad Rafikin Azman, 16, who was reported missing has not been found as of 5pm today, police have decided to bring in four tracker dogs.

Ahmad Rafikin who was among 540 participants in the race did not complete the Gunung Gajah Terom Marathon and his father, Azman Othman, 50, lodged a police report at about 6pm.

Azman had earlier notified the organiser when he could not find Ahmad Rafikin, a student of Sekolah Menengah Sains Sultan Mahmud, Kuala Terengganu, whom he had come to fetch at about 3pm after the race, he said.

All the other 32 participants in his category had returned by that time.

"After waiting for some time, Azman, who is an assistant director at the Terengganu Education Department, made the police report.

"We have increased the number of personnel involved in the search and rescue operation from 42 to 92. Rain and darkness will not hamper our efforts to find him," he said.

It is learnt that Ahmad Rafikin had passed the night of Oct 31 in a tent at the location and that he had left his mobile telephone at home.

A search was launched by a 42-member team comprising personnel from the Fire and Rescue Service, Police and People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) as well as villagers.

Meanwhile, Mohd Rafi Kori of the race secretariat said Ahmad Rafikin had passed the first checkpoint of the race for the Junior 12km category at 9.26am but did not complete the race.

The race involved 540 runners who competed in various categories beginning 8.15am.