JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian rescuers recovered a second body Sunday in the ongoing search for a Spanish soccer coach and two of his sons who drowned after a tour boat capsized during their Christmas vacation.
The rescue team recovered the body floating near Padar island, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the drowning site, said Fathur Rahman, head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office.
The body that has just been recovered has not yet been identified by the authorities, but is believed to be that of a family member who was on holiday in the Komodo National Park area in Indonesia. Rahman said the body was transported to a hospital in Labuan Bajo, a city at the park’s gateway in eastern Indonesia, for identification.
The family vacation in the park area turned tragic for Valencia CF Women’s B coach Fernando Martín, 44, when the boat carrying him, his wife, their four children, four crew members and a local guide, sank on the evening of December 26 after suffering engine failure.
Martín’s wife and one child, along with the four crew members and the guide, were rescued in the hours after the accident. But Martin, his two sons and another daughter, aged 9, 10 and 12, were not found.
Rescuers found the first victim, the 12-year-old Spanish girl, three days later floating near the northern waters of Serai island, about one kilometer (0.6 miles) from the drowning site. The Indonesian authorities confirmed with Martin’s wife and through medical and forensic identification that the girl was one of the missing children.
Rahman said that the Spanish government and the families of the victims were very involved. The ambassador of Spain formally requested the continued reinforcement of the search in a letter dated 31 December. According to Indonesian law, search operations typically last seven days, but can be extended if there are signs or chances of finding victims.
“We are determined to find all the victims,” Rahman said, following a review by the joint SAR team that extended operations to January 4. “We remain optimistic that the hard work of all SAR elements will pay off during this extended operation.”
The search operation, in its tenth day on Sunday, continued for the remaining family members. The efforts were reinforced with more than 160 personnel, supported by the police and the navy, who were connecting four sectors in inflatable boats, maritime ships and rescue vessels equipped with sonar equipment and underwater navigation equipment around the waters of the Komodo National Park. Divers were also deployed.
Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its rugged landscapes, pristine beaches and an endangered lizard, the Komodo dragon. The park attracts thousands of international visitors for diving, trekking and wildlife tours.
Indonesia is an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, where boats are a common form of transport. With lax safety standards and overcrowding problems, accidents happen frequently.