Two Indonesian Fishers Missing in West Sumatra Waters Amid High Waves

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Two fishers from Indonesia's Nagari Batang Gasan, Agam Regency, were reported missing while at sea in the waters of Tiku, West Sumatra, on Thursday, November 6, 2025. Rescuers have been deployed to search for the missing fishers since Thursday night.The head of Nagari Gasan Gadang, Azirman, said the two fishers are Buduik (60) and Kundue (40). They set sail on a green-and-white payang fishing boat measuring about 12 meters at 04:00 a.m. local time.Normally, they would return in the evening. However, well into the night, they have not been seen and cannot be contacted. "We suspect that there might be damage [on the boat] due to the storm," he told Tempo on Thursday.He mentioned that the local fishers have been trying to search the waters from Karang Gosong to Sungai Limau, but have not found any sign of their whereabouts. "We have used two fishing boats for the search but haven't found them," he said. "Currently, the storm still rages in Tiku."Meanwhile, the Maritime BMKG team in Teluk Bayur estimated the sea wave height to be between 1.25 meters to 2.5 meters.The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Padang has deployed five rescue personnel to Tiku Pier via land route, as well as RIB 02 with five crew members to the suspected location, around 2 nautical miles from Tiku Beach, Agam Regency."We are conducting a search with a sector-based pattern according to the wave and current conditions around the location. The SAR team is moving from both the sea and land in parallel," said the Head of the SAR Office in Padang, Abdul Malik.In this operation, rescuers also brought an LCR with an outboard engine, a drone, Aqua Eye, as well as medical and communication equipment to support the search.Editor’s Choice: Indonesian Small-Scale Fishers to Get Insurance Through Village ProgramClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News