Missing Speedboat in Gorontalo Found, 11 Foreign Nationals Safe

A joint search and rescue team has located a speedboat carrying 11 foreign tourists that lost contact while sailing in Tomini Bay, Gorontalo Province. "The information is correct, we received it from Tojo Una-Una Regency after we deployed two speedboats to the suspected location of the lost contact," said Head of Basarnas Gorontalo, Heriyanto, to reporters on Saturday (25/7). According to Heriyanto, all passengers were found safe. "Alhamdulillah, all 11 foreign national victims have been evacuated in a safe condition and are now in Tojo Una-Una," he stated. Heriyanto explained that the speedboat was travelling from Tojo Una-Una Regency, Central Sulawesi, to Marisa Port in Pohuwato Regency, Gorontalo Province, on Friday (24/7). However, during the journey it was hit by bad weather, causing the vessel to break apart. "According to the information we received, bad weather caused the boat carrying the tourists to break, and the victims saved themselves using a raft in the vicinity of the accident site," he said. Heriyanto added that all the foreign tourists are now in Tojo Una-Una Regency for health checks and further data collection. "They are from the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, and France. All victims have been accounted for and declared safe," he said.