By Ainur Romah
TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) – The bodies of seven missing teenagers have been recovered from a river on Indonesia’s Java island after their overloaded boat capsized.
The vessel was carrying 25 students from an Islamic boarding school in East Java when it sank on the Bengawan Solo river — Java’s longest — on its way to market Friday.
Eighteen passengers survived, while search and rescue operations had been trying to locate the missing seven boys, aged between 12 and 19 years old.
Survivors have said that those on board moved to the front of the overloaded boat as it reached land, forcing it to capsize.
On Sunday, one of the members of the search party said that they had found the final body.
“Thanks to God that we were able to discover Arif Mabruri,” Brigadier Dudung — many Indonesians use just one name — told Anadolu Agency . He said the body was discovered by students and locals who had clubbed together to search the river. Dudung said that the search had been hampered by bad weather, strong currents, and muddy water
All victims have now been repatriated to their homes.
