Fatal ferry crash likely due to negligence<\/p>\n
JP\/2\/sink\/set lead 2col, 10pts, crosshead 12 MB<\/p>\n
Fatal ferry crash likely due to negligence<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The ferry Kaltimas II which sunk with over 12
\nfatalities off Bali on Tuesday night, was months overdue for
\nroutine maintenance, says the head of Bali's transportation
\noffice.<\/p>\n
\"The owner should have not delayed the schedule for dry-
\ndocking,\" Made Sudhana said of the boat, which went down in
\nstorm-tossed seas between Ketapang in East Java and Gilimanuk in
\nBali.<\/p>\n
While only twelve bodies have been recovered along the East
\nJava coast, at least 28 remain missing and hope wanes with each
\npassing hour.<\/p>\n
The 275 gross-ton vessel last went in for maintenance in March
\nof 1992.<\/p>\n
Gilimanuk port spokesman Made Sudhiarta said Wednesday that of
\nthe 80 registered passengers on board the Kaltimas II, 38 are
\nknown to have survived the wreck.<\/p>\n
Rough seas<\/p>\n
The vessel was on its way from Ketapang to Gilimanuk, 125 km
\nwest of Denpasar, and was carrying six lorries, two containers
\nand the 'Jawa Baru' bus laden with 32 passengers.<\/p>\n
The vessel made a distress call to the port at 09:30 pm local
\ntime. Officers immediately launched a rescue operation but were
\nhampered by the rough seas.<\/p>\n
13 of the survivors were picked from the sea - some in bad
\ncondition - by fishermen based in Muncar, Banyuwangi, East Java,
\nearly on Wednesday. They were then taken to Ketapang port.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, officials at the state-owned hospital at Blambangan
\nin East Java confirmed there are 12 known dead and that they have
\ntreated 15 survivors who have been discharged.<\/p>\n
Other survivors managed to reach the Muncar coast by
\nthemselves and were helped by local fishermen. They were sent to
\nthe hospital at Blambangan.<\/p>\n
The search and rescue mission continues.<\/p>\n
The identities of the twelve dead victims could not be
\nimmediately established. Information was also not available on
\nthe exact number of people that had been traveling on the boat or
\non the material losses incurred.<\/p>\n
The accident has caused a long queue of vehicles at both
\nKetapang and Gilimanuk port. Of the 14 ferries serving the
\ncrowded route, only eight are now running, Sudhiarta said.<\/p>\n
He said three other vessels have joined the navy in the search
\nfor survivors while the other two are being repaired.<\/p>\n
Ferries are the cheapest and most popular form of transport
\nlinking Java and Bali, as well as many other islands. (prs)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fatal-ferry-crash-likely-due-to-negligence-1447893297",
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