The department’s director Sam Mannan told FMT today that about 50 men and a helicopter were looking for research assistant M A Tajuddin Mustapha, 44.
“The helicopter flew low over the area where he was last seen while the ground search party used flares hoping Tajuddin would see them and head towards our location but without result so far,” he said.
Tajuddin went missing after he detoured to look for some herbs when he and his five-member research team were returning on foot to the road 10 minutes away after completing their work.
They had entered the 55,507ha forest reserve to carry out an inventory of trees, The Star reported.
Mannan said Tajuddin’s colleagues sounded the alarm after he failed to rejoin them.
He said the search party on Tuesday found traces of Tajuddin, who is an experienced forestry staff member.