The Bodies Of Teenagers From Ternate Are Still 'guarded' By Crocodiles In Lake Tolire, Basarnas Is Still Having Trouble Evacuating

A crocodile that pounced on a teenager was seen swimming on the surface in Ternate's Tolire Lake, Thursday/ANTARA

TERNATE - The Ternate National Search and Rescue Office (Basarnas), North Maluku, continues to search for a teenager named Farjan (15) who was attacked by a crocodile while fishing in Ternate's Tolire Lake.

The head of the Basarnas for Ternate City, Fathur Rahman, said that the SAR Team was divided into three search points and it would be seen from the field conditions, because the route to Lake Ngade was rather difficult to evacuate.

"We will see the condition of the terrain first, because at this time the body is being carried into the middle of the lake by crocodiles," said Fathur in Ternate, Antara, Thursday, August 4.

He explained that his party had directed the team at three starting points where the victim's body was seen, however, the crocodile returned with the body. After the team re-directed the drone to the initial location, crocodiles were still seen with the bodies, making it difficult to evacuate.

However, victims who have been seen floating on the surface of the lake have not been able to be evacuated because the terrain or path is quite heavy.

Meanwhile, the Lake Tolire tourist attraction in Ternate City was temporarily closed, following a teenage boy named Farjan who was attacked by a crocodile and is still working.

Ternate Police Chief AKBP Andik Purnomo Sigit stated that he admitted that the access to Lake Tolire was temporarily closed to search and evacuate victims who were attacked by crocodiles in Lake Tolire.

In addition, Andik said, there are several warnings that will be installed at the location of Lake Tolire and other tours, so that no more residents or visitors become victims.

Meanwhile, the Regional Coordinator of Malut Vertical Rescue Indonesia Abdul Kadir Arif appealed to all local and domestic tourists who come to the Lake Tolire tourist attraction to know the safe zone of a tourist location.

According to him, this is done to avoid events that endanger lives and hopes that in the future there will be a preparedness side that must be built at tourist sites.

Previously, a resident from Takome Village, Ternate, named Farjan (15 years old) who was attacked by a crocodile in Lake Tolire Besar was seen on the surface of the lake on Wednesday afternoon.