Basarnas Holds SAR Simulation At Merak Port Executive Jetty Ahead Of Homecoming

Head of the National Army Marshal Army Henri Alfiandi after seeing the SAR simulation in Cilegon. (Photo Antara/Weli)

CILEGON - Basarnas held a search and rescue operation simulation at Merak Executive Pier, Cilegon City, Banten Province, to face the momentum of the 2022 Eid homecoming.

"This simulation is to measure the preparedness of the Basarnas together with the potential for SAR to face an emergency during the Lebaran 2022 homecoming momentum," said Head of Basarnas Marsdya TNI Henri Alfiandi in Cilegon as reported by Antara, Wednesday, April 20.

There are two simulated cases. First, it is an emergency condition and endangers human life due to dehydration and falling ill on the West Cilegon Toll Road and a series of accidents. Second, handling the sinking ship at Pier 4 of Merak Harbor.

The simulation is a "test case" for Basarnas' readiness to face an emergency during Lebaran 2022, both during homecoming and return flows.

Basarnas carries out the 2022 Eid Special Alert on D-7 to D+7. This momentum is quite crucial considering that the government has opened up opportunities for the community to carry out the homecoming tradition after 2 years of being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the opening of this opportunity, he said, it is estimated that millions of people will take advantage of this momentum. Modes of transportation, whether land, sea, or air will certainly boom.

This condition will certainly have implications for the risk of accidents and conditions that endanger humans. Not only that, the threat to the safety of the people who are celebrating Lebaran 2022 can come from or come from an unexpected disaster.

"With the motto Quick Response of Search and Rescue, Basarnas together with the potential for SAR are ready to provide SAR services to people who experience emergencies wherever they are," said the Head of Basarnas.

There is also the first simulation scenario, namely the Tangerang-Merak route, then the SIK officers responded quickly by deploying the Highway Police (PJR) to sterilize the area. They even reported the accident to the Basarnas Command Center (BCC) which immediately dispatched a SAR team from the Banten SAR Office.

The SAR team, each from Basarnas and the ASTRA Rescue Team for the Tangerang-Merak Toll Road, arrived at the location and immediately carried out assistance. The SAR team then reported the accident to the Idul Fitri 2022 Command Post.

The second scenario, begins with reports of an explosion in the engine room of the KMP Sunda Empire. The explosion caused a leak in the hull of the white-painted ship with a size of 1,000 GT.

The 30 passengers on the ship from Bakauheni to Merak panicked. One of the ship's crew directed them to take and put on a "life jacket". Some of them are desperate to plunge into the sea.

The captain of the ship then reports via the radio network and activates the Emmergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) to call for help. Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) received a 'mayday' call from KMP Sunda Empire which immediately broadcasted to ships sailing in the vicinity. The EPIRB signal was caught by Meolut BCC.

Kabasarnas then appointed the Head of the Banten SAR Office as the SAR Mission Coordinator (SMC) for SAR operations. SMC then coordinates with SAR Potential, including ASDP, KSOP, LANAL, POLAIR, KKP, DVI, Cilegon Hospital, PMI, Lampung SAR Office. SMC ordered HR-3606 on standby at the Idul Fitri 2022 Command Post helipad to look for ships from the air. Succeed. Helicopters quickly reached the scene.

"A rescuer from the BSG (Basarnas Special Group) who was on the helicopter performed a 'free jump' technique from the helicopter to reach and save the victim, because his condition was critical, the victim was then helped using the "hoisting" technique and then evacuated to the Krakatau Hospital," he explained.

According to Kabasarnas, the SAR team deployed fast boats to conduct sweeps. Sea Readers from Lanal and Polair, KPLP Ships, KN Tetuka and RIB of the Banten SAR Office, as well as KN Basudewa and RIB from the Lampung SAR Office conducted a search and succeeded in evacuating the victims who were floating in the water and those who were still on the ship and were evacuated to pier 4 .

Of the many victims who were evacuated by the SAR team to pier 4, one of the victims was in critical condition and had to be evacuated immediately to Krakatau Medika Hospital.

"The HR-3606 helicopter, which had succeeded in evacuating the previous victim, finally landed the helicopter at Pier 4 to evacuate the victim. All victims were evacuated to Pier 4, Merak Port, and then evacuated to the Cilegon Hospital, and the victim who died was immediately examined by the DVI Team," he said.