Nopensius' Raft Collides With Wood In Sibau River And Sinks, The Victim Is Short Of Breath

Search process for Nopensius (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - A man searching for agarwood is suspected to have drowned in the Sibau River, Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Kalimantan.

"Currently a joint team is searching for Nopensius in the waters of the Sibau River, which is quite far away," said North Putussibau Police Chief, AKP Rahmat, Thursday, September 22, quoted from Antara.

Nopensius (25), a resident of Tekalong Village, Mentebah District, originally planned to look for agarwood in the forest bordering Indonesia and Malaysia with five of his friends.

However, the search for gaharu wood in the forest was canceled because Nopensius was short of breath after traveling for two weeks since mid-August 2022. The five gaharu seekers then agreed to bring Nopensius home so he could get treatment.

They arrived at the headwaters of the Sibau River on Tuesday (20/9) around 07.00 and crossed the river on two wooden rafts, each carrying three people including the victim.

Rahmat said, at around 13.00 the raft hit the wood so that it overturned. At that time the current was heavy, they were downstream from Batu Tiga, the Sibau River watershed in Nanga Potan Hamlet, Tanjung Lasa Village.

"When the raft overturned, each of them could only save themselves, but the victim was nowhere to be seen. He is thought to have drowned, carried away by a strong current," said Rahmat.

Victims are currently being sought by a joint team consisting of the police, the TNI, the Pos Sintang SAR team, the Kapuas Hulu Regional Disaster Management Agency, the Kapuas Hulu Disaster Preparedness Team, the Kapuas Hulu Scouts Quick Response Team, and volunteers consisting of families and local residents.

"The search process is being carried out by sweeping the river using a long boat, the current condition is quite heavy," said Rahmat, adding, "The location of the incident is far away and there is no telecommunications network."