Authorities conclude search operations at al-Khoziny school after debris removal confirms no additional victims.
Published On 7 Oct 2025
Search operations at the collapsed al-Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, have officially ended after rescuers recovered over 60 victims, authorities confirmed.
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) declared on Tuesday that after more than a week of intensive recovery efforts, teams would cease their mission to locate additional bodies beneath the wreckage.
The tragedy occurred on September 29 when sections of the school gave way during afternoon prayers, trapping students under the debris.
“As we reach the ninth day, we have officially wrapped up the search and rescue activities,” stated Mohammad Syafii, head of Basarnas, during a press briefing.
Following a thorough clearance of the rubble, officials concluded that no further remains would be discovered at the site.
To date, at least 61 victims have been recovered, alongside seven isolated body parts, though some unofficial sources estimate the death toll could be as high as 67.
Out of those retrieved, only 17 individuals have been positively identified, according to the Disaster Victim Identification team within the police force.
Budi Irawan, deputy chief of the National Disaster Agency, noted that some of the remains included dismembered limbs.
Despite the devastation, more than 100 people survived the collapse, reported Yudhi Bramantyo, operations director of the agency.
This incident marks the deadliest calamity in Indonesia for the year, as per the National Disaster Agency’s records.
Intense Rescue Efforts
Rescuers undertook painstaking efforts, including tunneling beneath the rubble and calling out to those trapped, in hopes of finding survivors. Miraculously, thirteen-year-old Selendra Haikal Rakaditya was rescued on a stretcher after being trapped for 72 hours.
The conclusion of the search was influenced by families of the missing consenting to the use of heavy machinery to expedite debris removal and body recovery.
This decision came after the critical 72-hour “golden window” for survival had passed.
Investigation into Collapse
Authorities are actively probing the cause of the structural failure. Preliminary assessments point towards poor construction quality as a significant factor.
Reports indicate that unauthorized construction work had been ongoing for several weeks, involving concrete pouring on two additional upper floors.
Concerns over lax building regulations and substandard construction practices have been widespread across Indonesia.
Al-Khoziny is among over 42,000 pesantren-traditional Islamic boarding schools-in the country, yet only about 50 possess official building permits, according to the Ministry of Public Works.
