Algerian National Rescued After Spending the Day in Jakarta’s Sunter Lake

A 30-year-old Algerian man spent an entire day bathing in Jakarta’s Sunter Lake as part of a religious ritual, prompting residents to call authorities.

A joint team evacuated him at 9:41 p.m. on Sunday after more than three hours of dialogue and negotiation, said Gatot Sulaeman of the North Jakarta and Thousand Islands Fire and Rescue Agency. Officials identified the man by the initials BZ and said he was taken safely to Immigration officers.

Residents sought help because they considered the activity dangerous and feared it could threaten his safety. BZ had initially been taken away by the Social Affairs Agency, but returned to the lake in the afternoon and continued the ritual until the evening.

Six firefighters, along with police, military personnel and Immigration officers, took part in the evacuation. Officials said they began persuasive efforts at 6:24 p.m. and completed the operation at 9:41 p.m.

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We successfully evacuated the foreign national on Sunday night at 9:41 p.m. after lengthy dialogue and negotiations.