Early on Friday, October 3, 2025, rescuers retrieved the bodies of three more boys from the debris of a collapsed school in Indonesia. With over 50 students still missing, authorities anticipate the death toll to unfortunately rise.
Since the tragic school collapse on Monday, rescue teams have been working tirelessly by hand. However, after detecting no further signs of life by Thursday, they escalated their efforts, employing heavy excavators equipped with jackhammers to accelerate the search through the wreckage.
The incident occurred at the century-old Al-Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, located on the eastern side of Indonesia’s Java island. The structure gave way, trapping hundreds of people within a prayer hall.
The majority of the students affected were boys in grades seven to twelve, aged between 12 and 19. Fortunately, female students who were praying in a separate section of the building managed to escape unharmed, according to survivor accounts.
Currently, eight students have been confirmed deceased, and approximately 105 have sustained injuries, many suffering from head trauma and broken bones. A grim total of 55 students remain unaccounted for.
Suharyanto, the head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (who, like many Indonesians, goes by a single name), reported that two of the bodies discovered on Friday were found in the prayer hall, while a third was located near an exit, suggesting the boy may have been attempting to flee.
Authorities revealed that the building, originally two stories, was undergoing unauthorized construction to add two additional levels. Police suspect the existing foundation could not withstand the weight of the new concrete being poured, leading to the catastrophic collapse.
As of now, school officials have not issued a statement regarding the incident.
Under the scorching sun on Friday, crews continued their arduous task of breaking up and removing large concrete slabs. The somber smell of decomposing bodies served as a stark reminder of the grim discoveries yet to be made beneath the rubble.
Suharyanto informed reporters at the scene that recovery operations are projected to be completed by the end of Saturday.