High-Tech Search Underway: Basarnas Surabaya Deploys Aquaeye for Missing Baby MR
In a desperate search for Baby MR (aged 3.5 months), who was swept into a drain and carried away by water current in Surabaya’s Wiyung area, the joint team from the Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has turned to advanced technology for help.
Didit Arie Ristandy, the Operational Head of Basarnas’ Surabaya office, revealed that the team is utilizing a state-of-the-art underwater sonar scanner, Aquaeye, to locate the infant. This sophisticated device employs ultrasonic technology and artificial intelligence to detect human bodies beneath the surface of water.
On the third day of the search operation, the Aquaeye was deployed along the river near SMPN 34 Surabaya, after a bridge. "Tomorrow, we’ll retry the area," Didit said, referring to the machinery’s initial use around the school.
Despite the high-tech aid, the search remains challenging. Didit explained that the Aquaeye’s screen displays symbols: ‘X’ for hard objects or non-human entities, and ‘O’ for human bodies. "So far, the screen shows X only," he stated.
The agency possesses only one Aquaeye, forcing them to rotate it between Surabaya and Mojokerto search sites. "We hope this technology will facilitate predicting MR’s location, helping us find him soon," Didit added, expressing sympathy for the baby’s family and surrounding communities.
The search continues in hope of reuniting Baby MR with his family and ending the community’s collective anxiety.
