A spokesman for the Sarawak fire and rescue department’s operations centre said villagers found the head about 500m from where the victim was last seen.

“Upon receiving a call about the discovery at 11.20pm, a team from the Lawas fire and rescue station, led by operations commander Awang Adani Damit and senior operations commander Clarence D Primus Tiandun, was deployed to the location, about 22km away.

“At 12.45am, family members confirmed the object as the victim’s head, which was then handed over to the police. The search and rescue operation resumed this morning,” he said.

The victim, Tuah Lamat, 80, reportedly went missing at 5.30pm while bathing in the river at a small bridge a short distance from his home.

Villagers launched a search along the river using boats before contacting the fire and rescue department for assistance.