12 die, two missing in ship accident

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Twelve people died and two others went missing when a ship capsized last Thursday in the Labuangkallo waters in Tanjungaru subdistrict of East Kalimantan's regency of Pasir, a report said yesterday.

The Rahmat Sejati was carrying 53 passengers and three crewmen in a regular trip from Tanah Grogot to Tanjungaru, when it was hit by high tide Thursday, Kompas reported.

Forty-two people were rescued by passing fishing boats.

A rescue team comprising local police, military and local fishermen continued their search for other survivors up to Saturday, but to no avail.

Pasir police chief Lt. Col. Tommy Sagiman, who coordinated the search, could not be contacted for comment yesterday on the cause of the accident or the result of the search.

However, he told the daily that the ship was repeatedly hit by the tide before it sank. He said that ship owner M. Rife, who was also the ship's captain, was in police custody for interrogation.

The daily said M. Rife insisted on continuing the trip although some of the passengers, mostly school students going home to Grogot, had complained about the rough water and asked the captain to return.

Pasir Regent M. Ramli said five bodies of the 12 victims had been claimed by their families.

This was the second major accident in the past week. The first involved a minibus which plunged into a ravine in Salawu, Tasikmalaya in West Java, killing 11 people and injuring seven others Thursday morning.

A police officer of Tasikmalaya was quoted by Antara as saying the bus might have plunged into the ravine at high speed.

The victims were taken to Tasikmalaya General Hospital. (aan)