Sidoarjo: Indonesian authorities have officially ended search and rescue operations at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, following a devastating building collapse that claimed 61 lives.

The incident occurred during afternoon prayers when the school’s multi-storey building gave way, reportedly due to foundational weaknesses exacerbated by ongoing construction on the upper floors. Most of the victims were teenage boys between the ages of 12 and 19. While some students managed to escape, many were trapped under the rubble.

Rescue teams employed heavy machinery in their efforts to locate and recover victims. In addition to the 61 confirmed fatalities, seven body parts have been recovered and are undergoing identification. Indonesian authorities have described the disaster as the deadliest in the country this year.

The Al Khoziny school is among Indonesia’s 42,000 Islamic boarding schools, known locally as pesantren. Only a small fraction of these institutions hold proper building permits, and authorities have raised concerns over whether Al Khoziny complied with building safety regulations.

Investigations into the collapse and possible accountability measures are expected to follow as the nation mourns the tragic loss of life.