Algerian foreign national soaking in Sunter Lake evacuated by joint team

A joint team evacuated an Algerian foreign national who was soaking in Sunter Lake, Tanjung Priok District, North Jakarta, on Sunday (30/8) evening after lengthy negotiations.

“We managed to evacuate the foreign national on Sunday evening at 9.41 p.m. Western Indonesia Time after conducting dialogue and lengthy negotiations,” said Gatot Sulaeman, Head of Operations at the North Jakarta and Thousand Islands Fire and Rescue Sub-department, in Jakarta on Monday.

He said the Algerian man was evacuated safely and had been taken by immigration officers.

“The foreign national has the initials BZ and is 30 years old,” Gatot said.

He said the evacuation was carried out following a public report on Sunday (30/8) evening at 6 p.m. Western Indonesia Time regarding a foreign national who was soaking in Sunter Lake.

Residents eventually requested assistance to evacuate the foreign national because his actions were deemed dangerous and could threaten his safety.

The foreign national was known to be performing a ritual of his faith by soaking in the water, which began at midday.

BZ had initially been taken by the Social Service. However, the foreign national repeated his actions in the afternoon until 9.41 p.m. Western Indonesia Time.

“Fire and Rescue officers managed to evacuate the foreign national in a safe condition,” he said.

His team deployed six personnel assisted by community police officers, military village supervisory non-commissioned officers and immigration officers to evacuate the man.

“After carrying out persuasive action from 6.24 p.m. Western Indonesia Time, the victim was successfully evacuated at 9.41 p.m. Western Indonesia Time,” he said.