Number of casualties in Indonesian reservoir drowning up to 9

Bodies of the remaining two victims of a drowning incident in Indonesia’s central Java province were found on Monday, bringing the death toll to nine.

“The two victims were children, a 15-year-old toddler and an eight-year-old girl.

“This finding raises the death toll to nine,’’ Central Java Police Chief Inspector-General, Ahmad Luthfi, said.

The overloaded wooden boat flipped in a reservoir on Saturday when passengers moved to one side of the boat as they attempted to take a group selfie.

The boat with a capacity of 10 people had 20 people on board, many of whom were children and groups of families.

They were heading to a floating restaurant in the middle of Boyolali regency’s Kedung Ombo reservoir, about 50 meters from the shore.

Eleven people were rescued after the boat flipped, and search efforts deployed following the incident found seven of the nine missing passengers dead by Sunday afternoon.

Luthfi said the boat was helmed by a 13-year-old boy and it was not equipped with life jackets and other safety equipment.

The reservoir management was alleged to have flouted the health protocols limiting the number of visitors amid the pandemic.

The influx of visitors surged as Indonesians have been on a five-day holiday since May 12, to celebrate the Eid festivities that marked the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.