Ambon, Maluku, (ANTARA News) - The rescuers in Tual, Maluku Province, have found and evacuated Jelle Veyt, a Belgian tourist riding in his kayak alone in the waters of Southeast Maluku District on Thursday evening, a rescue agency official said.

"The 32-year-old Belgian citizen was evacuated by the rescuers getting aboard the Bharata 212 Search and Rescue vessel to Tual town in Southeast Maluku District," Head of Tual SAR Agency Muslimin said here on Friday.

The search and rescue operation was carried out shortly after the local SAR authorities received a report from Lussy, a worker at Tual Town`s Tourism Office, about Jelle Veyt`s whereabout on Thursday at around 08.45 p.m. local time, he said.

According to Lussy, she was informed by Jelle Veyt`s wife that her husband needed a help after getting so tired while kayaking from Tanimbar Island in Maluku Tenggara Barat District to Tual, Muslimin said.

"The Belgian citizen was found alive and then evacuated to Tual Town for a medical check-up," he said, adding that several personnel of local police and Tual Tourism Office also involved in the search and rescue operation.

Reporting by Daniel Leonard
Editing by Rahmad Nasution

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Editor: Sri Haryati
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