Rescue Efforts Intensify at Collapsed Indonesian Boarding School

Rescue operations are underway in Sidoarjo, East Java, following the collapse of the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School during afternoon prayers on Monday. Authorities have confirmed at least five fatalities, with 91 individuals still unaccounted for, according to the National Disaster and Mitigation Agency.

Rescue teams have successfully extracted several survivors from the debris. Yudhi Bramantyo, operational director of the search and rescue services, reported, "Today we managed to evacuate seven victims, five of them were rescued alive, and two were found dead."

The collapse occurred as students, primarily boys aged 12 to 18, were gathered for afternoon prayers. The building was undergoing an unauthorized expansion at the time, with two additional floors being added without a permit. Provincial police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast stated, "The old building’s foundation was apparently unable to support two floors of concrete and collapsed during the pouring process."

Rescue efforts have been hampered by the instability of the collapsed structure. Nanang Sigit, a search and rescue officer leading the effort, noted that heavy equipment is available but not being used due to concerns that it could cause further collapse.

Families of the students have gathered at hospitals and near the collapsed building, anxiously awaiting news of their children. A notice board at the command post set up in the boarding school complex listed 65 students as missing as of Tuesday morning.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse and have launched an inquiry into the construction practices at the school. The incident has raised concerns about building safety standards in the region.