Entering The Seventh Day, The Search For Foreigners From China Who Disappeared In Labuan Bajo Was Stopped

The Joint SAR Team dived looking for foreigners missing in the waters of Komodo National Park, West Manggarai, NTT since October 3, 2023. (ANTARA/HO-Basarnas Maumere)

The search for foreign nationals (WNA) from China who went missing while traveling at Long Pink Beach, Komodo National Park, Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), was stopped today.

Head of Basarnas Maumere Supriyanto Ridwan, who acted as SAR Mission Coordinator, said the foreigner named Yi Liu (27) had been missing since October 3, 2023. The search process was closed today after entering the seventh day.

"Our search for victims is closed on the seventh day because the search is no longer effective and signs of finding victims are very small," he said in an official statement, Monday, October 9 evening.

The closure of the SAR operation on the seventh day is based on the Law on the Implementation of Search and Rescue in accordance with No. 29 of 2017 Article 34 that the implementation of search and rescue is carried out within a maximum period of seven days.

Driveryanto Ridwan said that the Joint SAR Team had indeed conducted searches both at sea and along the savanna around the beach since the victim was reported missing on October 3, 2023 after traveling on the beach.

The search continues to be expanded starting from the first day of searching until the seventh day. The Joint SAR Team also experienced sea current problems which were strong enough to complicate the process of searching for victims.

"But if another day the victim is found, the SAR operation will be reopened," he said.

The implementation of the search for victims involved a Joint SAR Team consisting of the West Manggarai SAR Post, the NTT Police Ditpolairud, Lanal Labuan Bajo, KSOP Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Police, and fishermen.

The search for victims until the seventh day deployed the RIB West Manggarai SAR Post, the Searider KSOP Labuan Bajo, the Qifadzah Pinisi Ship, and afer around the scene.

"But the results were nil, the victim was declared missing," he said.