Fishermen Disappear In Mola, Basarnas Forms 3 Wakatobi Water Combing Teams

Basarnas Kendari formed 3 joint SAR teams to search for a fisherman in Wakatobi waters. (Between)

WAKATOBI - The Kendari Basarnas formed three joint SAR teams to search for a fisherman named Lita (30), who was reported missing on Sunday 12 June, allegedly drowned in the Mola Waters area of Wakatobi Regency, Southeast Sulawesi (Central Sulawesi).

"Entering the second day of the search operation for victims of missing fishermen in Wakatobi, we have formed three search teams," said Head of Kendari Basarnas Aris Sofingi in Kendari, quoted from Antara, Monday, June 13.

He said that Team 1 using a longboat belonging to the community carried out a search to the west of the last location where the victim was reported missing with an area of 36.61 square nautical miles.

Furthermore, Team 2 using an inflatable boat from the Wakatobi SAR Post conducted a search to the north of the last location where the victim was reported missing with an area of 37 square nautical miles.

Then, Team 3 using a community long boat carried out a search to the south of the last location where the victim was reported missing with an area of 35.76 square nautical miles.

The search for victims on the second day, which started at 06.00 WITA, involved joint personnel, namely the Wakatobi SAR Post, Wanci Navy Post, Polair Wanci, local fishermen and the victim's family using one rubber boat and 15 local community boats.

"Weather conditions, the search for victims who are residents of Mola Sama Bahari Kaledupa Village is in light rain, and waves are 1.25-2.5 meters high with wind speeds of 2-20 knots," he said.

Previously, it was reported that on Sunday, June 12, at 05.00 WITA, the victim using a long boat departed from Mola Wanci Village for Kaledupa Sama Bahari Village.

Furthermore, at 08.05 WITA a fisherman from Mola Sama Bahari Village found the victim's boat already filled with seawater and the victim was not in his boat. The incident was reported to Basarnas so that a search was carried out.