Thu Oct 02 08:28:38 UTC 2025: ## Indonesia School Collapse: Hope Dwindles as Heavy Machinery Used in Rescue Effort

**SIDOARJO, Indonesia** – Rescue operations at the Al-Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java, have entered a grim new phase as authorities cautiously deploy heavy machinery to sift through the rubble of the collapsed building. Three days after the devastating incident, approximately 59 students remain unaccounted for, fueling despair among hundreds of family members anxiously awaiting news.

The two-story prayer hall, reportedly undergoing unauthorised construction of two additional floors, crumbled on Monday while hundreds of students were inside. Authorities believe the building’s foundation gave way during concrete pouring. So far, five deaths have been confirmed, with over 100 people injured and dozens still hospitalized with serious trauma. The victims were primarily male students aged 12-19.

While rescue workers initially held hope for survivors, the critical 72-hour window for survival has passed. Despite the bleak outlook, Coordinating Minister Pratikno stressed that operations would proceed with extreme caution to recover the missing students.

“In any case, we will be very, very careful when using the heavy machines,” Pratikno said.

Suharyanto, head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency, acknowledged the dwindling chances of finding survivors. “We are no longer considering the possibility of survivors remaining, but we will still proceed with caution,” he stated, emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding the exact number of missing students.

Hundreds of distraught family members have maintained a constant vigil at the school since Monday, clinging to hope and desperately seeking information. Hafiah, whose 15-year-old son Muhammad Abdurrohman Nafis is among the missing, refuses to give up.

“I can’t give up, I have to believe that my son is still alive, he is a hyperactive boy… he is very strong,” she said, remembering her last visit with him just a day before the collapse.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Indonesia, raising questions about construction safety and oversight, particularly in religious institutions. As rescue teams continue their painstaking work, families remain in agonizing limbo, praying for a miracle.

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