Fadhlih Akbar, a student of UGM Faculty of Animal Science, was drowned in the Ello River, Magelang, Central Java, on Sunday (22/5) at around 12.45. At that time, Fadhlih along with the Mapagama team were conducting a routine rafting activity. "That time it was sunny, the stream was normal and all preparations have been conducted in accordance with the safe and standard rafting operating procedures," Eko S. Murhartadi Siregar, Chairman of Mapagama, explained on Monday (23/5) at UGM.
Murhartadi S. Siregar announced that Fadhlih along with five colleagues namely Mulhendra (Hendra), Eko Murhartadi S. Siregar (Sigar), Zul Fahmi (Zul), Aryati Larasati (Laras) and Nurrohmat Saputra (Rohmat), on Sunday (22/05/2011) at around 10:00 am conducted the rafting activity at Ello River. They are divided into two teams, two teams in hardcell kayak consisting of Hendra and Laras, two double inflatable kayak foam teams consisting of Sigar-Zul and Fadhlih-Rohmat.
They were using the river running system, i.e., when each boat goes through the current, the other teams would wait to back up the other boat. "At 12:06, the rafting teams reached the Kriting current of Ello River. Hendra went first and waited in the eddies followed by Laras, who was also waiting at the end of the current. Sigar-Zul followed them and also waited for the next boat, which was Fadhlih-Rohmat’s. In the middle of the Kriting current, Fadhlih was thrown off the boat, while Rohmat managed to pull over," explained Sigar.
According to Sigar, when he saw Fadhlih fell and stuck in the middle of the current, rescue efforts were done using the throwing bags. Fadhlih was able to catch the rescue rope, but Sigar then went down when he tried to pull Fadhlih to safety. It was difficult to pull Fadhlih to the edge. Hendra’s efforts in swimming approaching Fadhlih and pulling him to the river bank failed, too." Although Hendra managed to cut one rope, Fadhlih was stuck by another rope. Hendra directly conducted his second rescue by cutting the other rope. After this was cut, Hendra pulled out Fadhlih away from the current to the riverbank. First aid rescue was then attempted, but Fadhlih did not respond. Finally, Fadhlih was evacuated to a hospital in Magelang and he was pronounced to pass away at 12:45," said Sigar.
Fadhlih was a fourth semester student, born in Jakarta on January 16, 1992. He was active in Student Activity Unit of UGM Nature Lovers Student (Mapagama). According to the plan, the body was taken to the mourning home at Salemba Bluntas Road No. 140 B, Central Jakarta. Earlier, the body was interred at UGM Student Center, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta. On Monday, May 23, 2011, the corpse was brought to Jakarta by plane.
"We, the family of UGM, expressed grief for the ill-fated Fadhlih. Fadhlih’s friends from Mapagama and Dean of Faculty of Animal Science will accompany to the funeral," said UGM Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Drs. Suryo Baskoro, MS.