Kupang Grieves, 2 Children Drown In NTT Reservoir

JAKARTA - Two children, siblings, were found drowned in the Laus reservoir, Nunkurus Village, East Kupang District, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT).

"The two children were found lifeless when residents evacuated the Laus reservoir, Nunkurus Village, East Kupang District, Kupang Regency on Thursday, February 16 evening," said Kupang Police Chief, AKBP FX Irwan Arianto Friday, February 17, reported by Antara.

The victim; Merlinda Trisea Saefatu (7) and Jecson Antonio Saefatu (4) are children of Bernadus Saefatu, a resident of RT 20/RW 08 Hamlet I, Nunkurus Village, East Kupang District, Kupang Regency.

This incident was first discovered by Carisa Maakh (11), a resident of Nunkurus Village, when she passed the scene. At that time Carisa Maakh saw Jecson floating on the water surface of the Nunkurus reservoir.

Seeing Jecson floating, Carisa Maakh ran to Dinda Lette's house which was not far from the location of the Laus reservoir to inform about the incident. A number of residents, Yeremias and Ibrahim, headed to the Laus reservoir to help and found Jacson lifeless in the reservoir.

"Residents who came to the scene found Jecson floating on the surface of the water in a lifeless condition. They also evacuated the victim to the edge of the reservoir," said the police chief.

According to him, when residents were evacuating Jacson, a number of residents, namely Carisa and Dinda, saw water bubbles from the bottom of the reservoir and after diving into the water, Merlinda's body was found.

Residents who came to help immediately evacuated the two victims to the victim's parents' house which was not far from the scene of the incident.

"The bodies of the two victims were taken to the Naibonat Hospital for a medical examination, after being examined they were brought back to the victim's parents' house in Nunkurus," said the police chief.

He said that according to the results of the examination by the medical team, there were no signs of violence on the bodies of the two victims and the families accepted the death of the two victims as an accident. The bodies of the two victims were brought home to the funeral home in Nunkurus Village, East Kupang District.