Five Students Drown During Tubing Trip In Central Java

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Five Indonesian university students drowned and another remains missing after they were swept away by strong river currents during a tubing activity in Central Java, officials said on Wednesday.

The victims, all aged 21, were part of a group of 15 students from Walisongo State Islamic University in Semarang who were tubing along the Genting Jolinggo River in Getas village, Singorojo district, Kendal regency, on Tuesday afternoon.

“Heavy rainfall in the upstream area had caused the river’s current to swell, sweeping the group downstream at about 1.53 pm local time,” the Kendal Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) said in a statement.

Rescuers later recovered the bodies of five victims, three men and two women, while search efforts continue for another student who remains missing.

“Search and rescue teams, assisted by local residents, are working tirelessly to locate the remaining victim,” said BPBD Kendal field coordinator Ahma Garlih.

Nine other students who were part of the university’s community service programme managed to reach safety.

-- BERNAMA