Police pronounced dead after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami found alive

A police officer believed to have died in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami was reportedly found alive and living in a psychiatric hospital more than 16 years later.

Abrip Asep was on duty the night of the Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26, 2004, his family said. The resulting tsunami killed more than 230,000 people, making it one of the largest natural disasters.

His relatives believed he was among those killed in Indonesia’s westernmost province of Aceh, when waves up to 30 meters high hit Southeast Asia.

By chance, Asep was found and reunited with his family after nearly two decades apart, according to local media. The discovery was made after photos of Asep were shared in a family group chat on social media.

Local police confirmed that the man found at the mental hospital was Asep, who was reported missing during the tsunami and later pronounced dead.

“I couldn’t believe it, 17 years without news and we thought he had passed away, we didn’t know he was still alive,” said a relative.

Asep was found in a psychiatric hospital in Aceh province after suffering trauma after witnessing the tsunami. He is said to be in good health.

“Although he is suffering from mental illness due to the tsunami, his family is very grateful to have found him alive,” said a spokesman for the Aceh Regional Police.

It is unclear why his family was not notified that he was in the psychiatric hospital.

On Boxing Day 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck off the coast of the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

It was the third largest earthquake ever recorded.

Within 20 minutes of the earthquake, the first of several 30-meter waves hit the coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province.

Indonesia was the hardest hit by the tsunami, suffering at least 167,000 casualties.

Tsunami waves hit the coasts of Thailand, India and Sri Lanka, and even southern Africa, killing tens of thousands more.