EAST JAVA, Indonesia — Tragedy struck in East Java when the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school (pesantren) collapsed on Monday afternoon, trapping around 60 teenage students under the rubble during afternoon prayers.
Eyewitnesses told Reuters that more than 10 ambulances and several emergency teams rushed to the scene as rescue operations continue under extreme pressure. The collapse reportedly occurred because the building’s foundations gave way during construction work on the upper floors.
By Thursday evening, authorities confirmed at least five fatalities and more than 30 students injured, many of whom remain hospitalized. Despite the use of advanced equipment such as life sensors and repeated calls into the debris, no signs of life had been detected by late Thursday.
The Al Khoziny pesantren is a well-known Islamic school with dormitories, serving teenagers aged 13 to 19. Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, has around 42,000 pesantren schools, educating more than 7 million students.
Rescue efforts are ongoing as families await news of their children.
