"The latest update was at 3:34 a.m. when we found one more body, bringing the total to 54, including five body parts. This means the number of complete bodies recovered is 49," Basarnas Operations Director Yudhi Bramantyo said at a press conference on Monday.
On the eighth day after the incident, he said the joint search and rescue (SAR) team was focusing efforts on the south side of the collapsed building, where several victims are still believed to be trapped.
Based on officers' mapping results, at least four victims have been identified in that area—three at the front and one at the rear.
"We hope to finish today, as we are still working towards that target," Bramantyo noted.
He explained that the operation continues in coordination with the Indonesian Defense Forces, the National Police, and a technical team to ensure safety, as parts of the structure remain unstable and at risk of further collapse.
Related news: Sidoarjo's Al Khoziny School collapse: Rescue teams race to save kids
The search effort involves hundreds of personnel working in round-the-clock shifts.
The Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School building in Sidoarjo District collapsed on September 29, 2025, while hundreds of students were performing prayers in the ground-floor prayer room.
The East Java Basarnas office received the first report at around 3:35 p.m. local time, after concrete work had been underway since the morning.
On Thursday (Oct. 2), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) deployed heavy equipment to assist in the evacuation.
Before the deployment, BNPB conducted three field assessments between Wednesday and Thursday to detect any signs of life. Based on the results, Basarnas concluded that no survivors remained among the trapped victims.
Related news: Indonesia moves to strengthen school safety after Sidoarjo tragedy
Related news: Sidoarjo Tragedy: Prabowo orders safety audit of pesantren nationwide
Translator: M. Riezko Bima Elko Prasetyo, Resinta Sulistiyanda
Editor: M Razi Rahman
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
