An Algerian national identified by the initials BZ caused a stir among local residents on the afternoon of Sunday, the 30th of August, after wading into Lake Sunter in North Jakarta.
The North Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency eventually retrieved the man from the water.
“BZ was found wading in Lake Sunter. A process of persuasive negotiation took place,” Gatot Sulaeman, the Head of Operations at the North Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency, told the press on the following Monday (the 31st of August).
According to Sulaeman, BZ had entered the lake twice. He was initially secured by Social Agency officers earlier in the day, but somehow managed to return to the water on Sunday afternoon.
Firefighters carried out a three-hour rescue operation afterwards, beginning at 6.24 PM and concluding at 9.44 PM. Once brought ashore by the firefighters, BZ was immediately taken into custody by immigration authorities.
“Firefighters successfully retrieved the foreign national safely,” Sulaeman continued.
Meanwhile, Yuris Setiawan, the Head of the Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement Section at the Tanjung Priok Class I Immigration Office, explained why BZ had entered Lake Sunter. According to BZ’s statement to immigration officers, he entered the water due to stress after losing his travel documents.
“The individual [BZ] was stressed over the loss of his travel documents; upon returning to his residence at an apartment complex in North Jakarta, he attempted to calm himself by walking around the lake,” Setiawan revealed on Monday as well.
This was confirmed during the initial examination, as BZ was unable to present any travel or immigration documents to the officers. Immigration authorities have since coordinated with the Algerian Embassy through the Directorate of Immigration Cooperation regarding BZ’s status. In the meantime, BZ is currently being detained in the detention room at the Class I TPI Tanjung Priok Immigration Office.
“Currently, the Class I TPI Tanjung Priok Immigration Office is coordinating with the Algerian Embassy—via the Directorate of Immigration Cooperation—to verify the individual’s citizenship status and confirm whether [BZ] is indeed an Algerian national, as well as to request the issuance of travel documents for [BZ],” Setiawan added.