Indonesian rescuers find a second body as search for Spanish soccer coach and 2 children extended
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian rescuers found a second body Sunday as part of an ongoing search. Spanish football coach and his two children People who disappeared after a tour boat sank during the Christmas holiday.
Fathur Rahman, chief of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office, said the rescue team recovered the body floating near Padar island, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the site of the sinking.
The newly discovered body has not been identified by authorities, but it is believed to be that of a family member on holiday in Indonesia. Komodo National Park area. The body was transported to a hospital in Labuan Bajo, the gateway to the park in eastern Indonesia, for identification, Rahman said.
The family holiday in the park area took a tragic turn for Fernando Martín, the 44-year-old coach of the Valencia CF Women’s B team; The boat, carrying himself, his wife, four children, four crew members and a local guide, sank after experiencing engine failure on the evening of December 26.
In the hours following the incident, Martín’s wife and a child, four crew members and the guide were rescued. But Martin, his two sons and another daughter, ages 9, 10 and 12, were missing.
Rescuers find the first victimThe 12-year-old Spanish girl was floating three days later in the northern waters of the island of Serai, about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from where she sank. Indonesian authorities confirmed with Martin’s wife and through medical and forensic identification that the girl was one of the missing children.
Rahman said the Spanish government and the families of the victims were deeply interested in the incident. In a letter written on December 31, Spain’s ambassador officially requested that the search efforts be continued. Under Indonesian law, search operations generally last seven days, but this period can be extended if there are signs or possibility of finding a victim.
“We are determined to find all the victims,” Rahman said after an investigation by the joint SAR team, which extended the operations until January 4. “We are optimistic that the hard work of all SAR elements will pay off during this extended operation.”
The search operation, which started on its tenth day on Sunday, continued for the remaining members of the family. The work was reinforced with more than 160 personnel, supported by the police and navy, combing four sectors along the waters of Komodo National Park with inflatable boats, navy ships and rescue ships equipped with sonar equipment and underwater navigation equipment. Divers were also deployed.
Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its rugged landscapes, pristine beaches and endangered lizards. Komodo dragon. The park attracts thousands of international visitors for diving, trekking and wildlife tours.
Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where boats are a common means of transportation. Accidents occur frequently due to lax safety standards and overcrowding problems.
