KUTA, Bali – Rescue teams in Bali continued searching Monday for two boys who disappeared after being swept out to sea while playing soccer near the shoreline at Kuta Beach, one of Indonesia’s busiest tourist destinations.
The boys, identified as Airlangga Andrianto, 13, and Noval Aditya Saputra, 8, were reported missing Sunday evening after waves pulled them into the water as they attempted to retrieve a soccer ball.
Authorities say both children lived nearby in the Kuta area.
A Game on the Beach Turned Into a Search Operation
According to information released by the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office, the incident occurred at approximately 6:05 p.m. local time.
The two boys had been playing soccer near the waterline.
Several times during the game, the ball rolled into the sea.
Each time, they retrieved it.
Then came another wave.
Authorities say the boys entered the water again to retrieve the ball but were caught by currents and disappeared.
A report reached rescuers at approximately 6:50 p.m.
Six rescue personnel were immediately deployed.
Night Search Finds Nothing
Search teams began combing the shoreline shortly after arriving at the scene.
Operations continued until around 10:00 p.m., but darkness and limited visibility complicated the effort.
“Last night’s search was constrained by limited visibility and focused on shoreline sweeps,” said I Nyoman Sidakarya, head of the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office.
By the end of the first night, no sign of either child had been found.
Search Expands on Second Day
Search operations resumed Monday morning with both land and sea teams expanding coverage around the last known location.
Ground teams searched approximately one kilometer south from where the boys were last seen.
Marine rescue units deployed a rubber boat to search surrounding waters covering approximately three nautical square miles.
Lifeguards from Balawista Kuta joined operations using jet skis.
Police officers, marine police units, volunteers, local community members, and the boys’ families also participated in the search.
A Beach Known Around the World
Kuta Beach attracts millions of visitors every year and remains one of Bali’s most recognizable stretches of coastline.
But rescue officials have repeatedly warned that waves and coastal currents can change rapidly, particularly near the shoreline where visitors often underestimate conditions.
As Monday progressed, rescue teams remained on the beach and offshore.
The search area expanded.
The two boys had still not been found.