For two harrowing nights, 14-year-old Alfatih Cakra Buana lay entombed beneath a massive pile of concrete. His incredible ordeal concluded when he finally crawled out of the ruins, guided by a rescue team who had painstakingly secured a safe exit path for the young boy.
“I kept hearing faint voices from outside, piercing through the thick debris,” Alfatih recounted. “They were saying, ‘Be patient, little brother, be patient.'” He remembered responding, “Yes, sir, yes, I will be patient, until I faint.” Indeed, the two nights were a blur of darkness for Alfatih. His body was mostly covered by sandy material, pinned in a tilted, reclining position. Miraculously, only his head remained exposed, creating a small pocket of air that allowed him to breathe.
Alfatih was one of five children successfully evacuated by a joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team from the collapsed prayer room (musala) of Al-Ghaziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java, throughout Wednesday, October 1st.
On Monday afternoon, Alfatih had been performing congregational prayers in the musala. He attempted to flee when the disaster struck, but it was too late. “There was a tremor, then I immediately ran, and the building collapsed,” he recalled. Moments later, Alfatih called for help and heard similar desperate cries echoing from various parts of the devastated site. He remembers losing consciousness, unable to distinguish between being awake and dreaming. This disorienting state marked his experience during the “golden time”—the critical period from Monday, September 29th, to Wednesday night, October 1st—as the joint SAR team raced against the clock, searching for any signs of life beneath the collapsed structure.
“At one point, there was a water hose, and I drank from it, but it felt like a dream,” Alfatih explained. All he clearly remembered was the difficulty of moving his body. He even felt as though he had been asleep for an entire week. In the final moments leading to his rescue, Alfatih heard a distinct tapping sound. “When I woke up, there was a hole, and then the rescue team,” he added. “I was told to crawl, then I could get out and was immediately taken to an ambulance.” Once he realized he was safe, a simple, poignant request escaped his lips: “Please buy me some ice.” The ambulance then transported Alfatih to the nearest hospital for immediate medical attention.
A Shared Hope
On Wednesday night, October 1st, tears of immense relief streamed down the face of Alfatih’s father, Abdul Hannan Ikhsan, at the evacuation post. His joyous cries mingled with the anxious whispers of other guardians still desperately awaiting news of their own children. The Basarnas team had contacted Hannan that evening, delivering the good news he had fervently prayed for since Monday afternoon.
“I couldn’t imagine my son being on the list of survivors; I kept reciting prayers without end,” Hannan shared, overwhelmed with emotion. He reflected on the dire circumstances: “It had been almost 70 hours; it was unlikely the child would survive. But I believed, if Alfatih was destined to live, he would surely be saved.” Throughout the agonizing days of waiting, Hannan frequently checked his phone, gazing at photographs of his son. He also repeatedly conversed with the Basarnas team at the post, seeking updates on the ongoing evacuation efforts.
His gratitude erupted with the arrival of the good news. Yet, he also deeply understood the immense anxiety of other parents still longing to embrace their children. “Alfatih is now a child for all of us,” Hannan expressed, offering comfort to those who might face the worst. “If any parents’ children were destined to become martyrs, Alfatih is also your child. May everyone be granted strength and resilience.”
By Thursday morning, October 2nd, a radiant smile illuminated Hannan’s face as he sat beside his son, who lay in a hospital bed. “What do you like most, son? Chicken or meat?” Hannan gently asked Alfatih. “Chicken,” Alfatih replied, his voice still a little weak. Alfatih looked tired, but he occasionally managed a smile as his father playfully teased him. Shortly after, his mother patiently tended to him, carefully clipping his nails and cleaning his hands.
The family’s expressions had transformed dramatically compared to that same Wednesday morning, October 1st. “Hopefully, with faith, there will be ease, and many children can be saved,” Hannan had uttered on Wednesday morning, clinging to hope. As a father unaware of his son’s fate, Hannan had spent that entire day sitting, leaning against the corridor wall of the pesantren, a place where he and many other guardians agonizingly waited for certainty.
It was Wednesday night, as hope grew increasingly dim, that the distant wail of an ambulance echoed through the evacuation post, situated approximately 200 meters from the ruins. Word-of-mouth news of survivors began circulating among the guardians even before Basarnas made any official announcement. At that moment, Hannan was still unaware of his son’s survival; all guardians present were consumed by the same profound anxiety. But just moments later, Hannan’s tears of joy finally broke through, amidst the bustling crowd at the evacuation post.
The Road Ahead
Twelve hours after Alfatih’s miraculous rescue, doctors informed Hannan that Alfatih’s condition was stable enough for him to soon return home to Bangkalan, Madura. There were no internal injuries, only a few visible scars on his arms. His father playfully challenged him, “Al, what do you want?” Alfatih quickly replied, “A two-stroke motorbike.”
Hannan plans to patiently await his son’s full physical and psychological recovery, ensuring he can thoughtfully plan the best steps for Alfatih’s future. Hannan’s phone rang, displaying an incoming video call. It was Alfatih’s younger sibling, affectionately known as Al’s little brother, on the other end. “Brother, when are you coming home?” his sibling asked. “Tomorrow,” Alfatih confidently responded.
Of course, Hannan awaits final confirmation from Alfatih’s doctors. What is clear, however, is that Hannan admitted he had only truly been able to shower and enjoy a meal after receiving the life-affirming news of his son’s survival.
Summary
Fourteen-year-old Alfatih Cakra Buana miraculously survived two harrowing nights trapped beneath concrete debris after the prayer room of Al-Ghaziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo collapsed on Monday afternoon. Pinned in a tilted position with only his head exposed, Alfatih endured darkness and disorientation, hearing faint voices of rescue workers encouraging him to be patient. A joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team meticulously secured an exit path, guiding him to safety on Wednesday night, October 1st, making him one of five children successfully evacuated.
Alfatih’s father, Abdul Hannan Ikhsan, expressed overwhelming relief and gratitude upon hearing of his son’s survival, having prayed ceaselessly for nearly 70 agonizing hours. By Thursday morning, Alfatih was stable in the hospital with no internal injuries, only minor scars, and was able to converse with his family. Doctors confirmed Alfatih’s condition was stable enough for him to return home to Bangkalan, Madura, soon, much to the joy of his anxiously waiting family.