Two die at Pelabuhan Ratu

BOGOR, West Java: Two students from the department of marine technology and science from the Bogor Agriculture Institute (IPB) were found dead on Monday in the waters off the Pelabuhan Ratu beach resort in West Java.

Goval Pasaribu, 22, and Akbar, 19 were carried away when they were swimming after a welcome party for first-year students.

Andri Nugroho, the coordinator of the student activity, said it was a welcome party for new students that was held every year. It started on Friday and ended on Sunday morning, he said.

"After the activity ended about 20 students went swimming," he said. "Suddenly there was a really big wave followed by two big waves," he added. Despite efforts to remind swimmers of safety limits, all were carried away, and those which he said were particularly in danger were students Akbar, Siti, Goval and Doni.

Siti and Doni were saved by their friends but Goval and Akbar could not be reached. The bodies were found Monday night.

The body of Goval was sent to his home in Medan in North Sumatra while that of Akbar was sent to Gowa in South Sulawesi, he said.

The Indian Ocean waters off Pelabuhan Ratu are notorious for their strong currents. (24/27)