Rescue teams find no clues to missing 'Cahaya Bahari'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Three days after detecting an SOS signal from
\nthe Cahaya Bahari, rescue teams have still not been able to
\ndetect a single trace of the ferry and on Saturday began looking
\ninto alternative possibilities, including hijacking.<\/p>\n
National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) chief Setyo
\nRahardjo in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Saturday said his team was
\nalso proceeding to examine all information on the whereabouts of
\nthe ferry.<\/p>\n
Setyo said his office had been informed that the vessel, which
\nis believed to have been packed with people fleeing communal
\nconflicts in Tobelo on Halmahera island, North Maluku, on
\nWednesday, had been hijacked.<\/p>\n
Without revealing the source of the information, he added that
\nthe hostages were reportedly taken to Morotai island in North
\nMaluku.<\/p>\n
"We've contacted the Indonesian Navy to check on it," Setyo
\nwas quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
The ferry was initially believed to have sunk somewhere in the
\nSahu waters off the northern tip of Sulawesi, about 42 miles east
\nof Siau island in the Sangihe and Talaud islands regency at about
\n1 p.m. local time on Thursday when it lost radio contact.<\/p>\n
There is conflicting data about the number of people on board,
\nwith estimates being put at 492 passengers and crew along with a
\ncargo of copra.<\/p>\n
Setyo admitted that earlier on Saturday morning there was a
\nfalse alarm when a search team spotted a stranded ship on Siau
\natoll in North Sulawesi, some 80 miles off Manado.<\/p>\n
"Later, we found that it was not the ship we were looking for,
\nbut another with a similar name, Cahaya Baru," Setyo said.<\/p>\n
Waves in the Siau waters reportedly reached three meters high
\nthe day the ship left Tobelo seaport. There are small islands
\nspread in the Siau waters where passing ships often take shelter
\nduring bad weather.<\/p>\n
In its last message, the captain reported that the ferry was
\ntaking in water and that the water pumps might be broken.(bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rescue-teams-find-no-clues-to-missing-cahaya-bahari-1447893297",
"image": ""
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