Teenager found dead after three days of searching

JAKARTA (JP): A three-day search for a missing teenager finally ended yesterday when his two brothers identified the youth's body at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital morgue.

Pademangan Police had sent the 17-year-old, identified as Yalmi bin Basa, to the morgue Saturday, Yalmi's older brother, Atmijal, said.

Atmijal, 30, said Yalmi's friends had told him that he drowned at Ancol Beach in North Jakarta on Friday.

"Yalmi only told me that he wanted to go on vacation with his friends to Ancol but didn't mention anything about swimming."

Yalmi was believed to be having such a good time playing in the water that his friends, who were playing together, did not pay any attention to him, Atmijal said.

"They told me that they didn't really understand how it happened. When they wanted to go home, they just couldn't find Yalmi."

When police were alerted they combed the area but the search was finally called off and Yalmi's friends were allowed to go home.

"As our parents live in Padang we have to take responsibility (for the search)," Atmijal said. "We started looking for him as soon as his friends told us."

He said that Yalmi, a junior high school graduate, moved to Jakarta less than two months ago from Padang. Yalmi lived with Atmijal in Kampung Bulak Barat in Kedaung, Tangerang.

Atmijal, a construction worker, said that he and his brother Satni, a minivan driver, had been sharing the burden of going back and forth between Tangerang and Jakarta to check hospitals and police stations.

Despite his grief, Admijal said he was relieved they had located Yalmi.

"We accept this fact and will soon tell our parents," he said.

The teenager will be buried at Ciputat Public Cemetery in South Jakarta today. (04)