A youth has gone missing after he is feared to have been taken by a crocodile while taking a bathe with two friends in a river at Kampung Babu, Betong, about 250km from Kuching yesterday.

A Fire and Rescue spokesperson said the department received a call at 3.30pm and immediately launched a search operation with the help of several police personnel, Civil Defence Department and villagers.

He said Bob Denok, 31, was said to be plucking pedada fruits with his two friends while swimming in Sungai Rimbas when a crocodile suddenly pounced on him.

Both of his friends heard him screaming before he disappeared into the water and they quickly ran to seek help from the villagers, said the spokesperson.

The search operation was halted at about 6.30pm due to darkness.

- Bernama