Court acquits 'Gurita' suspect<\/p>\n
BANDA ACEH, Aceh: The court has acquitted Ahmadi Kusumo, the
\nhead of a state-owned ferry office, who was accused of negligence
\nafter an overloaded ferry sank off Weh Island, Aceh, last year
\nkilling more than 300 people onboard.<\/p>\n
Antara reported yesterday that the Banda Aceh District Court
\nreleased 50-year-old Kusumo of all charges Monday in connection
\nwith the disaster which happened in bad weather on Jan. 19, 1996.<\/p>\n
Kusumo, who heads the Banda Aceh branch of state-owned PT
\nAngkutan Sungai Danau dan Penyebrangan, which operated the Gurita
\nferry, was the second official cleared of charges linked to the
\nferry accident.<\/p>\n
The same court earlier released a port official who allowed
\nthe overloaded ferry to set sail from Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Only 39 people were rescued, while 55 bodies were recovered
\nand 283, including an unknown number of foreigners, were never
\nfound.<\/p>\n
A separate maritime tribunal declared that bad weather, not
\noverloading, was the cause of the accident. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/court-acquits-gurita-suspect-1447893297",
"image": ""
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