Indonesian rescuers find second body as search for Spanish soccer coach and 2 children continues

Indonesian rescuers recovered a second body Sunday in the ongoing search for a Spanish soccer coach and two of his children who went missing after a tour boat sank during their Christmas holiday.

The rescue team retrieved the body floating near Padar island, about 1.2 miles from the site of the sinking, said Fathur Rahman, the Maumere Search and Rescue Office chief.

The newly recovered body remains unidentified by authorities, but is believed to be that of a member of the family who was on a holiday in Indonesia’s Komodo National Park area. Rahman said the body was transported to a hospital in Labuan Bajo, a gateway town to the park in eastern Indonesia, for identification.

The family holiday in the park area turned tragic for Valencia CF Women’s B coach Fernando Martín, 44, when the boat carrying him, his wife, their four children, four crew members and a local guide sank on the evening of Dec. 26 after suffering engine failure.

Martín’s wife and one child, along with the four crew members and the guide, were rescued in the hours following the incident. But Martin, his two sons and another daughter, aged 9, 10 and 12, were unaccounted for.

Rescuers found the first victim, the 12-year-old Spanish girl, three days later, floating near the northern waters of Serai island, fewer than a mile from the site of the sinking. Indonesian authorities confirmed with Martin’s wife and through medical and forensic identification that the girl was one of the missing children.

Rahman said the Spanish government and families of the victims have been deeply involved. Spain’s ambassador formally requested continued reinforcement of the search in a Dec. 31 letter. Under Indonesian law, search operations typically last seven days, but can be extended if there are signs or chances of finding victims.

“We are determined to find all the victims,” said Rahman, following a review by the joint SAR team that extended operations to Jan. 4. “We remain optimistic that the hard work of all SAR elements will yield results during this extended operation.”

The search operation, on its tenth day on Sunday, continued for the remaining family members. Efforts have been reinforced with more than 160 personnel, supported by police and the navy, who were combing four sectors in inflatable boats, navy ships and rescue vessels equipped with sonar equipment and underwater navigation gear across the Komodo National Park waters. Divers were also deployed.

Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its rugged landscapes, pristine beaches and an endangered lizard, the Komodo dragon. The park attracts thousands of international visitors for diving, trekking and wildlife tours.

Indonesia is an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, where boats are a common form of transportation. With lax safety standards and problems with overcrowding, accidents occur frequently.