Final ferry death toll is 338<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The final death toll of last month's Gurita
\nferry tragedy reached 338, including seven foreigners, Minister
\nof Transportation Haryanto Dhanutirto said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"The figure is final,\" Haryanto announced after briefing
\nPresident Soeharto at Merdeka Palace about the investigation into
\nthe sinking of the ferry off Aceh on Jan. 19.<\/p>\n
The ministry arrived at the figure after checking and
\ndouble checking all possible data, he said.<\/p>\n
Previously, there was confusion about the number of people on
\nboard the ferry when it sank. Only 94 people were physically
\naccounted for -- 39 survivors and 55 bodies fished from the sea.<\/p>\n
Some of the missing are believed to be in the ship at the
\nbottom of the sea, and others may have been eaten by sharks. All
\nthe missing have been officially proclaimed dead.<\/p>\n
Five foreigners survived -- two Britons, a German, an American
\nand a Taiwan citizen. Of the seven who did not make it, one was
\nan Irish woman and another was a German woman. The nationalities
\nof the other five were still not available yesterday.<\/p>\n
The Aceh Police lost six officers in the tragedy, including
\nthe chief of its Sabang precinct.<\/p>\n
Haryanto refrained from admitting that the ferry was grossly
\noverloaded, saying that the matter, including the possibility of
\na crime having been committed, would be handled by the maritime
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
Nor would he confirm an earlier independent police report that
\nthe ferry was leaking when it set sail, or that the captain had
\nrefused to sail but gave in after he was threatened with
\ndismissal by his superiors.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, police announced that six people were directly
\nat fault for the tragedy: two port officials and four officials
\nof PT ASDP, the state-owned ferry service company.<\/p>\n
\"Let's wait for the court hearing. The maritime court has the
\nauthority to analyze the situation from all aspects: technical,
\nprocedural, etcetera,\" the minister said.<\/p>\n
A few days after the sinking, the minister told the House of
\nRepresentatives that the ferry was only carrying the 210 people
\nlisted in its manifest. He insisted that if the ferry was indeed
\ncarrying more passengers, the number could not have been more
\nthan two dozen. He misjudged by at least 143 people.<\/p>\n
When confronted yesterday, he said he had based his first
\nstatement on reports he received from Aceh.<\/p>\n
The Gurita sank while sailing from Malahayati\/Krueng Raya near
\nBanda Aceh to Sabang, the main town on Weh Island just opposite
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
Two reasons<\/p>\n
Aceh Governor Syamsuddin Mahmud said there were two reasons so
\nmany people were on the ship on Jan. 19.<\/p>\n
First, the Gurita, which sailed its route once a day, was
\nbeing repaired on Jan. 18 and was therefore out of operation. The
\ngovernor did not disclose what repairs had been needed. This
\nmeant those who had planned to travel on Jan. 18, had to wait
\nuntil Jan. 19.<\/p>\n
The second reason was that many Weh islanders were returning
\nhome for a big feast of meat, a tradition on the island before
\nthe start of Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
In addition to the 377 people, the ferry was also carrying 11
\ncars, 19 motorcycles, 10 tons of cement, and 64 tons of other
\ncargo.<\/p>\n
Haryanto said the investigation found that Gurita sailed into
\nstormy weather, with waves reaching as high as two meters.<\/p>\n
\"The ship was hit by large waves on its starboard side three
\ntimes. On the third strike, the ship lost its equilibrium and
\ncapsized,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
The ship was a 1970 model, had been retrofitted with a new
\nengine, and was therefore seaworthy, he said.<\/p>\n
The minister dismissed the likelihood of salvaging the ship,
\nas the President suggested, saying it would be too costly.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, PT Jasa Raharja, the state life insurance company,
\nsaid it will pay a total of Rp 2.3 billion ($1 million) in claims
\nfor the dead passengers and lost vehicles.<\/p>\n
Jasa Raharja President Ida Bagus Putu Sarga, who was also
\npresent at yesterday's briefing, said the company will pay a Rp 6
\nmillion settlement for each passenger killed.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to pay them on Feb. 19. The checks for the foreign
\nvictims will be given to their respective embassies,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Haryanto said President Soeharto also ordered the Aceh
\nadministration to take care of the children orphaned in the
\nGurita sinking.<\/p>\n
The President offered financial assistance from his Dharmais
\nFoundation, and also scholarships through the Supersemar
\nFoundation, Haryanto said.<\/p>\n
Both charity foundations are run by Soeharto in a personal
\ncapacity. (emb)<\/p>",
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