Grief Deepens in Indonesia: 61 Students Dead After Boarding School Collapse
Indonesian rescue teams recovered 12 more bodies on Monday as the search continued for missing students after the collapse of a prayer hall at the century-old Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java.
The devastating incident, which occurred on September 29 while students aged 12 to 19 were performing afternoon prayers, has now claimed 61 lives.
Authorities said the building was undergoing an unauthorized expansion when it caved in, trapping dozens beneath the rubble. Only one student escaped unharmed. Ninety-nine were treated for injuries and discharged, while four others remain hospitalized after undergoing amputations.
Rescue efforts have now shifted from searching for persons who survived the incident to recovering the remains. The National Disaster Management Agency reported that most bodies were found in poor condition, making identification challenging.
Grieving families have provided DNA samples at Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Surabaya, where 17 affected children have so far been identified and released to their families for burial.
This heartbreaking tragedy underscores a fundamental principle enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the right to life, survival, and development.
Every child has the right to live and learn in a safe environment. The loss of these young lives is a reminder of the urgent need to uphold and protect that right through accountability and stronger safety standards.
