BPBD Jepara Still Looking For 2 Fishermen Who Are Reportedly Missing

Fishermen in Jepara Regency, Central Java, at sea. ANTARA/Akhmad Nazaruddin Lathif.

JEPARA - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Jepara Regency, Central Java, is still searching for two local fishermen who were reported missing since Thursday (18/8).

"We have informed the disappearance of the two fishermen to a number of fishing communities in Batang, Pekalongan, and Karimunjawa regencies. However, until today (23/8) no news has been heard," said Jepara BPBD Chief Executive Arwin Noor Isdiyanto in Kudus as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, 23 August.

Another search effort was to ask the Central Java Regional Police for help to trace the phone number of one of the missing fishermen. It turned out to be untraceable due to the possibility of the phone being off in the first place.

BPBD Jepara also asked for help from the security forces to trace the IMEI number of the telephone belonging to one of the fishermen, but the location has not been detected.

His party received information that the fishermen were missing on Monday (22/8) or three days after the fishermen were reported not to have returned.

"If the fisherman is hit by the waves and the boat capsizes, our analysis is of course that the boat girder will float or there are signs of diesel fuel being spilled in the sea or other identifiable items. It turns out that this has not been found in the sea," said Arwin Noor.

Even if they were carried away by the waves in the sea, he said, of course, fishermen who go to sea every day can also detect their presence.

However, added Arwin Noor, volunteers are still on standby at Bondo Beach, Bangsri District because the incident has also attracted the attention of the Acting Regent of Jepara Edy Supriyanta so that the Jepara BPBD continues to monitor the progress of his search.

A total of two Jepara fishermen were reported missing while at sea from Bondo Waters to Empurancak Waters, Mlonggo District, Jepara, namely Broto, from Srobyong Village, Mlonggo District, Jepara and Triyono, from Bondo Village, Bangsri District, Jepara.

The two of them set out to sea on Thursday (18/8), at around 15.00 WIB from Bondo Waters, Bangsri District. The two of them should have gone home on Friday (19/8), around 03.00 WIB, but the next day they had not returned, including today (23/8), their whereabouts had not been found.