4 Days Of Search, SAR Team Finds Fisherman's Body Lost In Natuna Sea

The SAR team evacuates drowning victims in Tanjung Miang, Selaut Village, West Bunguran District, Natuna Regency, Riau Islands, Tuesday (2/8/2022). ANTARA/Cherman

NATUNA - The joint Natuna SAR team managed to find the bodies of fishermen who were missing in the Natuna Sea, Riau Islands after four days of searching.

"The search for the joint SAR team yielded results with the victim being found dead at position 03°54'44”N - 107°54'22”E in Tanjung Miang, Selaut Village, West Bunguran District, Natuna Regency, 2.8 nautical miles to the west. The sea from the starting point the victim fell," said Head of the Natuna Basarnas Mexianus Be Kabel, in Natuna, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 2.

He also said that today's search began at 06.00 WIB by dividing into 4 teams to search the search area before finding the victim, Junaidi (30), a resident of Sedanau Island, West Bunguran District, Natuna Regency.

"The victim was successfully evacuated at 09.42 WIB and then the victim was taken to Sedanau Island using an inflatable boat belonging to the Natuna Search and Rescue Office accompanied by the Catamaran Vessel owned by Lanal Ranai, the Polairud Natuna ship and several boats owned by fishermen to be handed over to the families of the victims," "Mexian said.

He thanked and appreciated all the elements involved.

Previously, Basarnas Natuna received a report that one fisherman had drowned in the Natuna Sea, Riau Islands on Saturday (30/7) at a position of 3°53'00.6” N - 107°56'38.3” E, in the waters of Selaut Island, Natuna Regency on Saturday. July 30, 2022 at around 18.30 WIB.

Following up on the report, on Saturday night at around 21:35 WIB Basarnas deployed a Rescue team of 6 people to move to the location.

The accident occurred around the waters of Karang Tengah, Selaut or around Kokop Island, Sedanau Village, West Bunguran District. On Sunday (31/7) the search was temporarily suspended due to bad weather

Meanwhile, according to the chairman of the Sedanau Island Floating Chart Organization, Wan Mustarhadi (52), the victim drowned after an attempt to prevent a collision between charts.

"On Saturday (30/7) at around 18.30 WIB, Eko and Junaidi were pulling or moving Sumardi's charter using a pompong (wooden boat) from its initial position to secure their chart so that there would be no collision between the two charts," said Mustarhadi.

During the transfer process, the chart that was crewed by Eko and Junaidi collided with Santo's chart because the chart did not have lighting.

"Because there were no chart lights, Junaidi climbed into the Santo chart trying to hold the chart crashing," he said.

After successfully avoiding the collision, continued Mustarhadi, Junaidi plunged into the sea to try to catch up and climb to the chart that was manned by Eko by swimming.

"But it didn't make it to the chart manned by Eko, Junaidi was no longer visible on the sea surface, realizing this, then Eko contacted Sumardi, the owner of the chart," he said.