2 Foreigners And 3 Indonesian Citizens Lost In The Waves In Malang Regency

The location of the disappearance of five tourists on Panjang Bridge Beach, located in Sumber Bening Village, Bantar District, Malang Regency, East Java, Saturday (8/7/2023). (Doc. ANTARA/HO-Humas Malang Police)

A total of five tourists were reported to have been swept away by waves on Panjang Bridge Beach, which is located in Sumber Bening Village, Bantar District, Malang Regency, East Java this Saturday.

Bantar Police Chief Malang Resort Police (Polres) AKP Slamet Subagyo when confirmed from Malang Regency, East Java, Saturday said that of the total five tourists who were swept away by the waves, two of them were foreign nationals (WNA).

"The incident occurred at approximately 08.00 WIB, where the victim was dragged by the waves on Panjang Bridge Beach," said Slamet, as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, July 8.

The five victims who were dragged by the waves on Panjang Bridge Beach were A and J, 24 years old, who were foreigners. While the other three have the initials M, B and P are Indonesian citizens (WNI).

Slamet explained that the incident began when a group of students from a state university in Malang City, East Java held a tour with a total of 29 participants consisting of 17 foreigners and 12 Indonesian citizens.

The group, he continued, departed from the Malang City area, on Friday (7/7) and arrived at the Panjang Bridge At around 17.30 WIB. At Panjang Bridge Beach, the group spent the night using the tents that had been prepared.

Then, the next day or Saturday (8/7), a number of tourists in the group swam on Panjang Bridge Beach. However, when the tourists were swimming, the two foreigners could not pull over and were caught in the middle of the island.

"Then, three other people, namely M, B and P, intended to help the two foreigners. However, at the same time there were big waves and they were all dragged by the waves," he said.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has issued a report on the potential for extreme weather due to atmospheric disturbances in the East Java region. East Java is in the dry season with the dominant wind pattern from East to Southeast.

In addition to being able to cause an increase in the potential for extreme weather in several areas in East Java, BMKG also reminded coastal communities to be aware of the potential for high waves of up to six meters.

High waves between four and six meters have the potential to occur on Enggano Island, the western waters of Lampung, the western Indian Ocean Mentawai-Lampung, the western and southern Sunda Strait, the southern waters of Java Island, and the southern Indian Ocean Java-NTB.