Tragedy at Al-Khoziny Boarding School: SAR Operations Enter Day Eight
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- Rescue operations at the collapsed Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School continue, with Basarnas leading recovery and victim identification efforts.
- As of October 6, 169 people have been evacuated; 104 survivors receive medical treatment while casualty numbers remain subject to ongoing assessment.
- Multi-agency teams, including military, police, and volunteers, are working nonstop at the site, with post-disaster recovery to follow.
Surabaya, Indonesianpost.com – Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has confirmed that rescue operations at the collapsed Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java, will continue until all rubble is cleared and every victim accounted for. The tragic incident has prompted an extended and intensive response effort given its scale and complexity.
Basarnas Chief Mohammad Syafii emphasized at a Jakarta press conference on Monday that the operation will only be considered complete when the site is fully cleared, debris separated, and no victims remain. “Although we usually follow a seven-day rescue protocol extendable by three days, the situation at Al-Khoziny requires special handling due to the high number of victims and the structural challenges,” he explained.
On the eighth day after the collapse, rescue efforts continue around the clock with a joint task force comprising Basarnas, the military, police, disaster management agencies, and volunteers working tirelessly at the scene.
Syafii noted that even after search and rescue conclude, recovery efforts will persist under the coordination of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) alongside other relevant ministries. “Follow-up activities related to the incident will continue beyond the SAR phase,” he affirmed at the emergency command post.
As of 6:38 p.m. local time (GMT+7) on Monday, official data from the Sidoarjo emergency post reported the evacuation of 169 individuals. Among them, 104 survivors are receiving medical care while the rest have been confirmed deceased.
Additionally, the SAR team recovered six body parts currently undergoing identification by the East Java Police’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) unit at Bhayangkara Hospital in Surabaya.
Officials warn that casualty figures remain fluid and subject to change as field assessments proceed and debris removal advances. (Antara/Bilah)