Family Declares Indonesian Governor’s Son Who Drowned in Swiss River Dead

KOMPAS.com – The oldest son of an Indonesian Regional Governor Ridwan Kamil, Emmeril “Eril” Kahn Mumtadz, has been declared dead after he went missing during a swim in the Aare River, Switzerland.

This was said by Erwin Muniruzaman, the older brother of Ridwan Kamil, in Pakuan Building, Bandung, West Java on Friday, June 3.

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un [We surely belong to Allah and to Allah we shall return], Brother Emil [Ridwan Kamil] and Sister Lia [wife] have accepted this and they believe with all their hearts that Eril has died from drowning,” Erwin said.

Eril went missing after he was reportedly swept away by the Aare River’s current as he wanted to approach the river bank on Thursday, May 26.

Local authorities have been conducting a joint search effort for more than a week. They have increased the status of the missing person to the drowned person in the search effort. The relevant agencies and family members continue to search for Eril.

Also read: Swiss Police Continues to Search for Indonesian Governor’s Son Who Went Missing in Aare River

Ridwan Kamil’s younger brother, Elpi Nazmuzaman, is now representing the family to monitor the search effort in the Aare River as the West Java Governor and his wife are on the way back to Indonesia.

“I have been here since yesterday. I was asked by the family to continue monitoring and to coordinate with the local authorities in the search effort,” said Elpi in a virtual press conference from Switzerland on Friday.

Elpi added that the authorities in Bern City brought in sniffer dogs as the search effort continues. Relevant government agencies have intensified the search involving land patrol, boats, and drones. Operations concentrated in the area near Marzili, Engehalde sluices, and the Schwellenmaetelli as well as Wohlensee. Divers could not be deployed due to the swift currents of the Aare River.

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The search efforts involved the police search and rescue team, maritime police, fire department, and authority of the city of Bern.

State News Antara reported on Thursday that the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) issued a Yellow Notice for the search.

“That is right. The Interpol has released Eril’s Yellow Notice,” Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo told reporters.

Yellow notices are issued to locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons, who are unable to identify themselves.

With the issuance of the Yellow Notice, Prasetyo said all countries that are members of Interpol have received information about the missing person.