Seventh Day, Search For 4 Victims Of The Sinking Of KM Lebanese In Alor NTT Closed

The joint SAR team closed the search and rescue operation for four Lebanese KM passengers who drowned in Alor, NTT. (ANTARA/HO-Kantor Basarnas Maumere)

JAKARTA - The search operation for the four victims of the sinking of the Lebanese KM ship in the waters of Pura Island, Alor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), was officially closed.

"Yesterday, Monday (August 26) was the seventh day of search for the four missing victims, but until the afternoon the search for victims was still nil," said Head of the Maumere Basarnas Office Supriyanto Ridwan when contacted from Labuan Bajo, Tuesday, August 27, as reported by Antara.

He added that the joint SAR team had made various efforts to find the four victims, including additional main equipment, such as the Alor Polres speedboat, the Alor AL Post rubber boat, a number of fishing boats and the expansion of the search, but had not been able to find the four victims. The results of the evaluation from the joint SAR Team together with the Acting Regent Alor Zet Sony Libing, he continued, stated that the signs of finding the victims were still nil until the seventh day of the search, so the SAR operation was declared closed. "The four victims were declared missing and further monitoring will be carried out, if from the results of monitoring there are signs of victims, the SAR operation will be reopened," said Supriyanto.

Previously, the Maumere Basarnas Office received a report from the Lebanese KM containing 23 passengers drowned in the waters of Pulau Pura, due to high waves and strong currents.

A total of 19 passengers after the incident have been evacuated using fishing boats, but four passengers were reported missing. The four victims who were looking for the joint SAR team, namely Desi Huluang (28), Olivia Duka (5), Agustina Pulinggomang (10), and Grais A Djaha (5).