In Sidoarjo, East Java province, Indonesia, amid the human suffering, there was a flash of innovation training for a creation. Rescuers brought 13-year-old Syailendra Haikal out of the rubble of the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School on Wednesday. The school had caved in during afternoon prayers on Monday, trapping this many students between the ages of 12 and 18. While rescue teams have managed to recover five students alive, they face an uphill battle as the search continues for the remaining 59 individuals still unaccounted for.
Rescue workers lifted Syailendra from the wreckage, the final survivor. They expeditiously transported him to a local hospital, where he was treated for his non-life-threatening injuries. Rescue personnel and translators worked around the clock to keep him in contact with his family. They brought food and water until he could be more safely extracted. Emergency responders were on the clock for five days straight, executing multiple high-stakes rescues. Ultimately, their advocacy resulted in his rescue following that tragic event.
On Wednesday evening, another boy, Saiful Rozi, was freed from the debris at approximately 8:20 p.m. local time. Saiful is now said to be in stable condition after being airlifted to safety. Those two rescues ushered in a new sense of relief. Elation soon turned to grief when rescuers discovered two other boys buried beneath the rubble who perished.
As of Thursday morning, conditions were still equally unpromising. Rescue officials have confirmed that at least five people perished in the building’s collapse. They are continuing work with maximum urgency to find the rest of the missing. The number of people believed to be buried under the wreckage was revised down from 91 to 59 on Wednesday.
The collapse occurred as students were assembling in the prayer hall for their afternoon prayers. The structure failed catastrophically, trapping many inside. Rescue teams have been climbing through the rubble to get to people who are still trapped. They are providing oxygen, food, and water through the rubble to sustain them long enough for rescue.
Yudhi Bramantyo, director of operations at Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency (Basarnas), addresses the media. He shared stories from his personal experience with the continuing search.
“All victims who were able to communicate with the rescue team have already been evacuated today from two different search sectors,” – Yudhi Bramantyo
Bramantyo had declared on Tuesday that rescuers had seen not heard any more signs of life from the rest of the rubble. As this terribly sad news settles in, it dims hopes for more survivors.
With their loved ones still missing, many families are clinging to hope even as it grows dimmer by the day. Umi Kulsum’s 15-year-old son, Sulaiman Hadi, is one of them, still missing. And, as you can imagine, she told me she was going to keep looking for him.
“I still believe my son can be found alive. I just ask the rescuers to keep searching until they find him. He’s my only child.” – Umi Kulsum
Such sentiments are a common refrain across the community as parents continue to deal with fear and uncertainty. Dwi Ajeng Tyasusanti posted emotional prayers online for her lost son. She never stopped believing in his strength, wishing to sense that he was still with her.
“I kept saying, ‘Bismillah (in God’s name), my child is strong, my child is strong, my child is strong,’” – Dwi Ajeng Tyasusanti
Search and rescue teams still steadfast in their determination to find survivors within the rubble of the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School. The community is one, guided by their desire to protect each other. They must navigate both hope and despair together through this critical period.
