IBRA spokesman missing in river

Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) spokesman Raymond van Beekum was reported missing after a rafting trip down Cisadane River, West Java, on Friday. IBRA is conducting a media workshop at the Lido Lake and Conference Hotel, Bogor, and the rafting trip, organized by MainAir, is part of the itinerary. The trip started at about 2 p.m. and most of the participants had returned to the hotel by 7 p.m. Rohan, an IBRA staff, told reporters at the hotel that heavy rain had forced them to stop and get out of their raft. "Suddenly a torrent of water hit when Bertha and I were already out of the raft. Van Beekum managed to get onto a boulder," he said. "We tried to toss him a rope but it didn't reach the boulder. A second torrent of water came and Van Beekum went into the water. We toss the rope again but there was no response from the water." MainAir has deployed a search and rescue team and notified local authorities. -- JP