Three Police Officers Electrocuted While Picking Coconuts in Beaufort

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Three police officers died after being electrocuted while attempting to pick coconuts in Kampung Weston, Beaufort, Sabah, on Thursday evening.

The incident occurred at approximately 5.50pm when a long metal pole used to reach the coconuts reportedly lost balance and came into contact with a high-voltage electrical cable crossing the area.

The victims were identified as Corporal Chiu Teck Siong, 40, Constable Mohamad Nur Hafiz Ibrahim, 29, and Constable Muhammad Raimi Ismarubee, 26. All three were attached to the Weston Police Station.

Initial investigations found that one of the officers collapsed after the metal pole touched the power line.

Two colleagues who attempted to assist him were subsequently exposed to the electrical current and also collapsed at the scene.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the officers had been at the location to collect coconuts before the accident occurred.

He said investigators believed the long metal pole became unstable and struck the electrical cable, triggering the fatal electrocution.

All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Their bodies were later taken to Beaufort Hospital for further examination and post-mortem procedures before being released to their families.

Police have opened an investigation paper to establish the exact circumstances and cause of the accident.

Authorities are expected to examine the position of the electrical cable, the equipment used and the sequence of events leading to the deaths.

The Sabah Fire and Rescue Department’s operations centre received an emergency call at 5.56pm.

Seven firefighters from the Beaufort Fire and Rescue Station were immediately deployed to the location and carried out the recovery operation together with police personnel.

A team from Sabah Electricity was also called to disconnect the power supply before rescuers could safely approach and remove the victims.

The entire operation concluded at approximately 7.45pm after firefighters confirmed that the location no longer posed an electrical danger.

The tragedy highlights the severe risks associated with using long metal objects near overhead electrical cables.

Members of the public are advised to carefully inspect their surroundings before carrying out work near power lines and to avoid using conductive equipment in areas where electrical cables are present.

Any object, including metal poles, ladders or tools, can conduct electricity without direct handling of the cable itself, potentially causing fatal injuries within seconds.

The deaths of the three officers have left their families and colleagues mourning as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the incident.