Two Days Missing, 2 Tourists Dragged By The Waters Of Santolo Garut Beach Found Dead

Officers evacuated tourists who died after being dragged by the waves at Santolo Beach, Garut Regency, West Java, Friday (28/4/2023). (ANTARA)

The joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team found two tourists who were swept away by the waves while swimming at Santolo Beach, Garut Regency, West Java, dead after two days of being reported missing.

Head of the Garut Police and Air (Polairud) Police Unit, AKP Anang Sonjaya, confirmed that two tourists who were reported missing while swimming at Santolo Beach, Wednesday, April 26, had been found dead.

"It has been found," said Anang when contacted via cell phone in Garut, Friday, April 28.

He said the victim named Muhamad Hisam (17) was the first victim to be found on Thursday, April 27 evening, and Firmandi (17) was found not far from the initial location of the missing victim on Santolo Beach.

The two victims, said Anang, were then taken to the hospital before being handed over to the funeral home using an ambulance in Malangbong District, Garut Regency.

"Taken to the funeral home in Malangbong, escorted by an ambulance from the Cikelet Health Center after it was completed," he said.

The Head of the Cikelet Sector Police, AKP Usep Heryaman, added that the discovery of the two victims was a collaboration between all teams and the community, so that the search operation was stopped.

"With the discovery of the two victims, the SAR operation is officially closed, hopefully in the future there will be no similar incidents, and tourists are more careful and always pay attention to signs," he said.

Previously, two tourists who were victims of being dragged by the waves were known as Firmandi (17) and Muhamad Hisam (17), a resident of Cisampih Village, Haurkuning Village, Malangbong District, Garut.

The victim and his friends traveled to fill the Lebaran holiday by visiting a beach attraction in the south of Garut, then swimming together, unexpectedly they were rolled by waves on Santolo Beach, Wednesday, April 26 at around 15.00 WIB.

A total of five friends of the victim managed to save themselves after being attracted to the shoreline, while the two victims continued to the middle of the ocean until they finally disappeared.

They swim in prohibited areas, because it is dangerous. Officers had previously put up warning signs for banning swimming at a number of beach points.

During the Eid holiday season, the condition of beach attractions in Garut is quite crowded with tourists from various regions.

With the surge in tourist visits, the police and officers from other elements have been alerted to provide security at tourist attractions.