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Indonesia Shifts to Recovery at Collapsed Sidoarjo Boarding School After No Signs of Life

Officials report no detectable survivors, triggering a family‑approved shift to cautious recovery with heavy excavators.

Rescuers gather near the site of a building collapse on Monday, where people remained trapped according to disaster mitigation agency, as the search and rescue operations continue at Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java province, Indonesia, October 2, 2025. REUTERS/Dipta Wahyu
Rescuers spray disinfectant during the search for victims of a collapsed building at an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Trisnadi)
Family of students react while waiting for news as the rescue operations continue following a building collapse on Monday, where people remained trapped according to disaster mitigation agency, at Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java province, Indonesia, October 2, 2025. REUTERS/Dipta Wahyu
Rescuers carry the body of a victim of a collapsed building at an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Trisnadi)

Overview

  • Authorities list about 59 people as missing, confirm five deaths, and report roughly 105 injuries with more than two dozen still hospitalized.
  • Five students were pulled out alive on Wednesday through hand-dug tunnels before thermal drones and scanners later found no vital signs.
  • Police and local officials say the structure failed during concrete pouring on unauthorized upper floors, with foundation columns unable to bear the load as investigations continue.
  • Families agreed to the use of heavy machinery as the 72‑hour survival window elapsed, and rescuers warn the unstable debris requires extreme caution and operations could run past a week.
  • Forensic teams are collecting DNA from relatives to identify remains as authorities reconcile fluctuating tallies based on attendance lists and family reports.