Shrimp Fisherman Attacked by Crocodile Missing in Rokan River, Riau, Search and Rescue Team Launches Search

The Pekanbaru SAR team and other teams searched the location of the fisherman who was reported missing and attacked by a crocodile. (ANTARA/HO-Basarnas Pekanbaru)

JAKARTA - A joint SAR team is searching for a fisherman reported missing after being attacked by a crocodile in the Rokan River, Bangko District, Rokan Hilir Regency, Riau Province.

The Head of the Pekanbaru SAR Office, Budi Cahyadi, said the fisherman, who was fishing for shrimp, was named Tarmisi, also known as Sari (39). This is the third day of the search since the victim was reported missing on Saturday, July 26.

"We received a report of the victim's disappearance from the local Neighborhood Association (RT) head, Nasrudi, on Saturday, shortly after the incident," Budi said in a statement in Pekanbaru on Tuesday, as reported by Antara.

The Pekanbaru SAR Office, he continued, immediately coordinated with relevant agencies and began a search and sweep of the area around the river. However, the first day of searching was unsuccessful.

"Because conditions were getting dark and making it impossible, the search was temporarily suspended at around 7:05 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) and will continue tomorrow," Budi said.

The search resumed on Sunday morning, July 27, at 7:00 a.m. WIB. The joint team searched 3 nautical miles (NM) upstream and downstream of the river, but by 6:00 p.m. WIB, the victim had not been found.

Then, on Monday, July 28, the joint team resumed the search, sweeping approximately 5 NM downstream, but the search still yielded no results. Budi stated that as of the third day, there had been no sign of the victim.

The SAR team, along with a joint team consisting of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), village officials, and local residents, continues to work diligently in the search, hoping that the victims will be found soon.

"Today, the joint team was deployed again to search the area 6 NM upstream and downstream of the river, using fishing boats and conducting land searches along the riverbanks," said Budi.