13-year-old Boy Who Drowned In The Ciliwung River, Dies After Saving His Friend

Officers and residents around the Ciliwung river at the location where the drowned child was found/ Photo: Rizky Sulistio

JAKARTA - The victim who drowned in Ciliwung River, Kwitang, with the initials MR (13), a resident of Johar Baru, was a savior for his seven friends.

The reason, MR had previously saved one of his friends who had drowned. After being helped by MR, it was finally MR who sank to the bottom of the Ciliwung River.

According to the statement from the Platoon Head of Menteng Sub-district, Karyadi, it was actually a child who drowned who was helping his friend.

"Previously this MR victim had time to help his friend. This (the victim) helped," said Karyadi to VOI at the evacuation site, Wednesday, September 22.

According to Karyadi, previously the victim was seen swimming with about 7 other children.

"He (MR) helped. So those who were helped survived, in fact he (MR) who (drowned) was exhausted maybe. It was precisely those who died who helped," he said.

Karyadi said the depth of the Ciliwung river varies. On the side of the river has a depth of about 2 meters.

"There was no problem in the search process. We searched for the last victim's information point where and finally found it. We deployed 16 Gulkarmat officers with 2 rubber boats. The initial drowning victim's point was 50 meters from the location found," he said.

MR's body was first discovered by a local resident named Amar (31). According to Amar, he managed to find the victim's body from the bottom of the Ciliwung River after diving 3 times.

"It was found at the bottom of the Ciliwung river, so I went in and out (dived) in that environment. The victim was lying at the bottom of the river when he was found," said Amar.

After touching the victim's body at the bottom of the Ciliwung river, Amar shouted that he had found the whereabouts of the drowned victim.

"So I was touched, then I shouted that I got it. I went upstairs and screamed. The victim's condition is still in the water," said this resident of Gang Eretan, Kali Pasir, Kwitang Village.

Amar admitted that after he managed to hold onto something, he immediately rose to the surface of the water and screamed.

"My hand touched the victim's leg. Anyway, I was holding something, I immediately went upstairs, I screamed. So my friends helped everyone to evacuate. The victim is dead because it's been a long time," he said.

Previously, it was reported that residents of Jalan Inspeksi Kali Ciliwung, Kwitang, Senen District were shocked by the presence of a 13-year-old child who drowned in Ciliwung River, Senen District, Central Jakarta.

According to Rahmat (38), the boy initially swam with his other friends at that time. Then one of the group of children was swept away by the current and drowned.

"We were swimming at first. The information was that the children were from Johar Baru. They swam and finally one of the group of children drowned," he said at the location, Wednesday, September 22.