SAR team recovers 15 bodies from Riau river following truck crash

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA) - A joint search and rescue (SAR) team retrieved 15 bodies from Segati River in Riau's Pelalawan District following a devastating truck accident on Saturday (February 22).

"From the 32 truck passengers, 15 were killed while another 17 survived," Pekanbaru SAR agency head Budi Cahyadi stated here on Monday (February 24).

He noted that the last victim recovered was a child identified as Noel, who was found some 200 meters away from the crash site.

The authorities confirmed that the truck carried 32 individuals, including the driver. Most passengers were mothers working in local plantations and their children, who were heading to a local market to purchase essentials.

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En route to the market on Saturday at approximately 10 a.m. local time, the truck collided with a retaining wall while crossing a bridge, resulting in it plunging into the Segati River. Most passengers killed in the accident were trapped in the vehicle.

While the police investigation into the accident is still underway, driver fatigue is believed to have been a contributing factor.

Riau Police Chief Inspector General Muhammad Iqbal urged the victims' employers to take responsibility for those killed or injured. He also requested that the district authority and local police engage with the company involved to ensure their accountability for the incident.

Iqbal noted that the victims were employed as acacia plantation workers by PT Empat Res Bersaudara (ERB), a contractor of the industrial forest company PT Nusa Wana Raya (NWR).

Moreover, Riau Province's Manpower and Transmigration Office head, Boby Rachmat, stated that his side had started a probe to determine whether any workplace violations contributed to the crash.

"If we find any violation, the company will be sanctioned. We are also coordinating with the BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (state insurer) to check whether the victims are registered in the insurance system," Rachmat remarked.