Miaoli: Efforts to locate a Vietnamese man who fell into the Houlong River during a barbecue in Miaoli County concluded tragically as the man was found dead.

According to Focus Taiwan, Cheng Sheng-feng, head of the county’s Fire Bureau’s first disaster relief unit, reported that a group of five Vietnamese nationals had been enjoying a barbecue near the border of Miaoli City and Gongguan Township on Sunday when the incident occurred. The 32-year-old migrant worker, identified only by his surname Nguyen, slipped off a concrete block of a check dam and disappeared into the water.

The bureau swiftly responded by dispatching over 10 firefighters and volunteer rescuers, utilizing an aerial camera to aid the search. However, the search efforts, which lasted nearly three hours, were hampered by darkness and strong currents, leading to an unsuccessful outcome on Sunday night.

The search operation resumed at 7 a.m. Monday, but conditions remained challenging. Cheng indicated that strong currents beneath the dam might have pulled Nguyen underwater, possibly trapping him on the riverbed.

Nguyen was reportedly with four Vietnamese friends-three men and one woman-during the outing. It is suspected that Nguyen attempted to slide and dive into the water due to the hot weather, but he was caught by the river’s swift flow.

The Miaoli County Fire Bureau has emphasized that swimming and playing in the water are prohibited along the Houlong River. They warned that during the plum rain season, heavy rainfall upstream can lead to sudden flooding, creating hidden currents and turbulent waters even when the lower river appears calm.