Goodbye Fishing, 2 Mimika Residents Missing 6 Days, Found SAR Team Running Out Of Gasoline

Illustration of a gasoline-powered boat used by residents or fishermen for fishing. (Between)

MIMIKA - The Timika Search and Rescue Office (SAR) team found two anglers tossed about in the sea after the boat they were traveling in ran out of gas in the waters in front of Atuka Village, the capital of Central Mimika District.

Head of the Operations Sub-Section for the SAR Office Timika Syahril in Timika, Wednesday, said that the two residents named Frans Wabiser (49) and Marinus (30) had reportedly lost contact since Thursday, April 7. Both were found safe and sound.

"We found the two victims in the waters in front of Atuka Village. Both were immediately evacuated to the Timika SAR Port in Pomako to be returned to their families in Timika," said Syahril.

Frans Wabiser thanked the Timika SAR Team for searching for him and Marinus after days of losing contact with their family in Timika.

According to the information gathered, Frans and Marinus, who originally wanted to fish in Otakwa waters, Mimika Far East District since April 7, 2022, lost contact with their families in Timika because the motorboat they were traveling on ran out of fuel.

The incident was only reported to the Timika SAR Office on Tuesday, April 12, by the victim's family, Mrs. Kristina Narubun.

Mrs. Kristina explained that since April 7, 2022, using a blue and white long boat with an 18 PK engine, they went fishing in Otakwa waters, Mimika District, Far East.

However, after five days passed, the two victims did not return home.

Based on this report, from noon on Tuesday, April 12 to evening, the joint SAR team conducted a search along the route to the waters of Mimika Far East to Otakwa Village, but the two victims were not found.

"Initial information that we received from the victim's family was that the two of them went fishing in Otakwa waters. However, after a day of searching the Mimika region from the Far East to Otakwa, the results were nil," said Kakansar Timika George L Mercy Randang.

After investigating the information, the joint SAR team decided to continue the search to the West Mimika area to Kampung Amar and finally found the two victims in the waters in front of Atuka Village on Wednesday, April 13 at noon.