Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA) - A long boat carrying 13 soccer players capsized off the waters of Selat Nenek Island near Batam City, Riau Islands, on Wednesday. Ten people survived the accident, while three others remain missing.

According to the Batam Office of the Search and Rescue Agency, all passengers fought for their lives after the boat sank. Ten of them managed to swim to Selat Nenek Island, reaching safety after approximately eight hours in the water.

The survivors, identified as Dedi Marboen (35), Riko (31), Andika (23), Maher (13), Rahel (18), Nizam (30), Damar (16), Amirul (29), Feri (26), and Raihan (19), have since been reunited with their families.

Meanwhile, the search continues for the three missing individuals—Muhammad Fahri Kurniawan (23), Fadli alias Papat (28), and Firdaus alias Fir (24), said Dedius, head of the SAR Agency’s Batam office.

Search efforts, involving personnel from the SAR agency, local police, and the fishing community, have been concentrated around the waters of Selat Nenek and Setokok Island.

The boat was en route to Setokok Island, where the Selat Nenek Island football team was scheduled to participate in a match held in celebration of Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day anniversary, Dedius added.



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Translator: Laily R, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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