Body of Awaluddin Found After Three Days Adrift in the Asahan River

A tragic incident occurred in a river in North Sumatra. A man named Awaluddin Nasution, 42, was found dead after being swept away by the strong currents of the Asahan River in the Pulau Rakyat Tua village area, Asahan Regency.

The unfortunate event began on Sunday (February 22nd) at around 2:00 PM. The victim was reportedly swimming with a friend in the river. However, due to fatigue, he lost control and was swept away by the river current.

The victim’s friend, who was present at the scene, was unable to provide assistance as the victim disappeared quickly. The Head of the Medan Class A Search and Rescue Office, Hery Marantika, stated that a search operation was carried out involving a joint SAR team from Basarnas, the TNI, Polri, BPBD, and community volunteers.

“After three days of intensive searching, this morning at 10:55 AM, the victim’s body was finally found about 1 kilometer from the initial point of the incident,” he said on Wednesday (February 25th).

After the victim’s body was found, the SAR team immediately evacuated it from the river and handed it over to the family for the funeral process according to local customs. Hery also expressed condolences and issued a stern warning to residents who are active around rivers.

The public is urged to always be vigilant about changes in water levels and strong currents, especially in natural waters. This incident, he said, is a crucial reminder of the importance of assessing physical abilities and paying attention to safety factors when in areas with hazardous waters. (I-2)

It took more than 24 hours for the joint SAR team to retrieve the body of Bahagia Tarigan, the Head of Liang Pematang Village, STM Hulu District, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, from the bottom of the river.