Foreign Worker Shouted for Help Before Entering East Jakarta Culvert

A foreign national who became one of the fatalities in an incident at a project culvert in East Jakarta had shouted for help before entering the structure. The foreigner is believed to have been attempting to rescue a colleague who had lost consciousness earlier. This was conveyed by Ferdi (31), an eyewitness at the scene. Ferdi said the incident began when a worker entered the culvert. However, the worker did not respond when called from above. “The first person to enter was an Indonesian. When called, he did not answer, so his friend went in to help,” Ferdi said when met in the Cipayung area, East Jakarta, on Saturday (11/7/2026). According to Ferdi, the foreign national, who is suspected to have been the project foreman, then called his colleague from above the culvert. After receiving no answer, the foreigner appeared panicked and shouted for help to nearby residents. “He was shouting here. The people here were also confused because they did not understand the language. ‘What’s wrong? What’s wrong?’ like that,” he said. Ferdi said residents had warned the foreign national not to go down into the culvert. However, feeling responsible for his crew, the victim insisted on entering. “He was told, ‘Sir, one person is enough. Don’t go in again.’ But he remained determined. Perhaps he thought he was the person in charge, the foreman,” he stated. Shortly after entering the culvert, the foreigner shouted once before his voice was no longer heard. “He shouted once inside, then there was no more sound. After that, silence,” he revealed. Not long after, another worker also tried to provide assistance by descending into the culvert. However, the third victim also eventually lost consciousness. Ferdi said residents then contacted the fire brigade. However, by the time officers arrived at the location, all three victims were already unconscious inside the culvert. “Finally, we called the fire brigade. But the fire brigade also took a long time. The point is those three people were already unconscious,” he added. The incident occurred on Thursday (9/7). The fire brigade received a request for victim evacuation at 09:49 WIB. The victims were successfully evacuated at around 11:55 WIB. Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said one of the deceased workers was a foreign national. Pramono said the three were subcontractor or third-party workers engaged in the project. “I have received a report from the President Director of PAM Jaya. It is true there were three people,” Pramono said in the Cawang area, East Jakarta, on Friday (10/7). Pramono explained that of the three victims who died, one was a foreign national, while the other two were Indonesian citizens. “Of the three people, one was a foreign national, so two were our citizens,” he stated.