Rescuers found him off Mauawang Island of Labuan Bajo Village in Komodo Sub-district, Manggarai Barat District, Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas)-Maumere Office Supriyanto Ridwan revealed.
The lifeboat that Salim boarded belongs to a tourist vessel, MV Kaia. It sank in the Mauawang Island waters after strong wind and high waves hit it, he noted here Tuesday.
Salim sailed to the Mauawang Island waters for diving. Prior to the SAR personnel's arrival at the accident site, the MV Kaia crew had rescued him and attempted to save his life through conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Shortly after reaching MV Kaia, the SAR personnel evacuated Salim to the Labuan Bajo Pier and sent him to Siloam Hospital, according to Ridwan, who coordinated the SAR mission from Maumere in Sikka District.
"According to the doctors, Salim had died," he remarked.
Following the fatal accident, Head of the Labuan Bajo Meteorology Station Sti Nenotek called on skippers of tourist vessels to not sail amid strong wind and high waves.
"This week is potentially marked by strong wind gusts of 50 km per hour. Hence, locals are cautioned while doing activities in the waters of Manggarai Barat and Komodo National Park," Nenotek noted.
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Translator: FM Nuka, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Anton Santoso
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