Manokwari, Jubi – A survey team consisted of seven officers of the Cenderawasih Bay National Park (BBTNTC) and three locals in Manokwari reportedly trapped in Wairundi Island of Teluk Wondama Regency, about 59 kilometres from Manokwari.
A resident of Tamanria Manokwari Yani reported this incident to the Manowari Search and Rescue Office on Friday (26/10/2018) at around 11:10 Papua time. A member of survey team Donatus made contact with her to inform their situation. Based on this report, George M. Randang, the Head of Manokwari Search and Rescue Office, promptly sent a Rescue Carrier and a Rescue Car to the scene after ten minutes (11:20 WP).
“They were trapped because of bad weather. Due to storms and high waves, they could not sail while their food supplies were limited,” explained Randang.
The names of the BBTNTC officers confirmed by the Public Relations of the Manokwari Search and Rescue Office are the Survey Coordinator Syahirudin (male, 36 years old), Topo Budinarko (male, 38 years old), Donatus Aujani (male, 34 years old), Titus Charles (Male, 37 years old), Mesak Andarek (male, 52 years old), Anto (male, 40 years old), and Gerardus (male, 40 years old). Meanwhile, three locals are Yakonias (male, 38 years old), Bastian Sikun (male, 37 years old) and Otto Eseren (male, 40 years old).
Safe and Sound
Antara (27/10/2018) reported that the rescue team successfully evacuated them and they arrived safely in Manokwari on Saturday (27/10/2018).
The Head of the Manokwari Search and Rescue Office said the rescue operation involving 22 personnel was carried out on Saturday morning using SS Kumbakarna.
“This is the second operation after the first failed due to the bad weather. We arrived at Wairundi Island at aroun 2:00 Papua time,” he said.
Furthermore, he explained they also found the fact that there is a toddler named Ayub among the BBTNTC survey and monitoring team. Therefore, they are eleven in total. The child was reportedly safe and healthy.
“Praise the Lord, all survive, including a toddler Ayub. This child can survive by only eating the coconut,” he said.
In operation, he continued, the ship docked in the middle of the sea, while lifeboats and rescuers were deployed to pick up these people one by one. They successfully evacuated and then arrived in Manokwari through Agrem Harbor at around 08:05 Papua time. Currently, all survivors are safe in their homes.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of BBTNTC Monitoring Team Syahirudin said they have been in uninhabited Wairundi Island since 22 October 2018 to conduct monitoring on green turtles.
“It’s part of our tasks to do monitoring on the areas of the Cenderawasih Bay National Park. We prepared our stocks of food for five days, but it runs out on the fourth while due to the bad weather, we couldn’t leave the island,” he said.
He further said the level of sea waves around the island has raised in the last few days, which was about 3 to 4 meters. They survived without food for a day and two nights.
“We ate the coconut that drifted from another island because there is no coconut tree on this island,” he said. (*)
Reporter: Hans Kapisa
Editor: Pipit Maizier
