11 Passengers Stranded In Maluku Waters Successfully Evacuated

The joint SAR team evacuated 11 passengers of a long boat or longboat that suffered engine failure in Southeast Maluku waters. (8/7) (ANTARA)

The joint SAR team evacuated 11 passengers of a long boat (longboat) that had an engine failure in the middle of the sea while traveling from Toyando Island to Dullah Laut Island (Tual City).

"Two of the dozens of longboat passengers are children aged four and eight years," said Head of the Ambon Basarnas Search and Rescue Office, Maluku Muhamad Arafah, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, July 8.

The longboat was adrift in the sea on Sunday 7 July at 18:30 WIT around the waters of Ubur Island, Southeast Maluku Regency due to engine failure and they had asked for evacuation assistance.

Weather conditions in the sea are in the form of strong winds from west to southeast at a speed of 18 knots per hour accompanied by light rain with a sea wave height of about 2.5 meters.

According to him, the joint SAR team was deployed after the Tual SAR Post received a report from a resident named Rustam Patrubun on Sunday, 2024 night at 22:25 WIT.

"The Tual SAR post responded quickly to the report by deploying a Rigit Inflatable Boat and joint SAR elements at 22:45 WIT to the scene to carry out SAR operations," he said.

After a search was carried out, at 23.42 WIT, the joint SAR team finally found the longboat and managed to evacuate all passengers safely.

Furthermore, all victims were evacuated to Dullah Laut Island to be handed over to their families.

The data on survivors in the marine accident were Ahmad Selmuri (16), Tovik Rumadan (18), Usman Rumadan (70), Lili Djambumona (20), Ala Rumadan (42), Hasri Selmuri (12), Sarina Rumadan (33), Alif Selmuri (4), Adil Rumadan (16), Tofan Rumadan (14), and Wati Selmuri (8).

With the discovery of all the victims of the sea accident in a safe condition, the SAR operation was declared closed and all elements of the potential SAR were returned to their respective units.