Vietnamese man who reportedly fell into Miaoli river found dead

Taipei, June 9 (CNA) The body of a 32-year-old Vietnamese migrant worker who reportedly fell into the Houlong River in Miaoli County on Sunday was found after emergency services resumed their search of the area Monday, local authorities said.

The man, surnamed Nguyen, was discovered at around 12:20 p.m., trapped between concrete blocks at a check dam near the border of Miaoli City and Gongguan Township, according to the Miaoli County Fire Bureau.

The bureau was notified at around 6 p.m. Sunday that Nguyen had fallen into the river while barbecuing near the riverbank with four fellow Vietnamese nationals, said Cheng Sheng-feng (鄭勝峰), head of the bureau's first disaster relief unit.

According to his companions, Nguyen slipped on a concrete block near the check dam and fell into the river.

The bureau immediately dispatched more than 10 firefighters and volunteer rescuers to the scene, along with a drone camera, Cheng said. However, the search was called off at night due to poor visibility and the strong current.

Nguyen's body was found near the spot where he fell, the bureau said, adding that he may have been pulled under by a whirlpool and trapped on the riverbed.

Local prosecutors and police will take over the case to investigate the cause of death, the bureau added.