83 people survive, 83 die in Lake Toba ferry accident

MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): The authorities called off the search for victims of Sunday's ferry accident in Lake Toba yesterday. Eighty-three bodies were found.

The number of survivors from the sinking of the Peldatari wooden boat was 83.

Rescue worker Dewasa Sijabat said no more bodies were found yesterday, despite earlier estimations that there were 200 passengers aboard when the boat sank.

Sijabat said the only person the authorities were still looking for was the ferry's captain who reportedly escaped.

The captain's house in Tomok subdistrict in North Tapanuli regency was empty.

Workers rescued 32 passengers Wednesday.

At that time, a North Tapanuli regency official said the number of survivors was higher but many were still too traumatized to report to the authorities.

Sijabat said they knew about the extra 51 survivors because they reported to the authorities.

The Peldatari was sailing Sunday at 8:30 p.m. from Parapat to Tomok, a town on Samosir Island in the middle of Lake Toba.

The boat was carrying Tomok residents returning from the closing of the 17th Lake Toba festival in Parapat.

The boat, which sank 100 meters from Tomok's shore, was found and taken ashore Monday in a search and rescue operation led by North Tapanuli Regent T.M.H. Sinaga, local military commander Col. Hindarto and police chief Col. Tri Utoyo. The team involved 20 search and rescue experts.

The ferry's capacity was 60 people.

The Minister of Transportation, Haryanto Dhanutirto, has ordered an investigation into the reported violations that caused the accident, including overloading and the absence of proper safety equipment.

Some reports said the boat was leaking.

The Peldatari accident came on the heels of another ferry accident.

The MV Sentosa 10 wooden boat sank off Batam Island on Saturday, killing 12 of its 85 registered passengers.

Antara reported the ferry was sailing from Telaga Punggur port on Batam Island to Tanjung Pinang port on Bintan Island when it sank in the waters known as the Lobam area off Batam island.

A Tanjung Pinang port spokesman said the last three bodies found Tuesday were in such a bad shape that their identities could not be established immediately.

The eight victims who had been evacuated earlier were Caroline Panggabean, 66, Siti Alamsyah, 67, Henry, 24, Lidiawati, 30, Sri Wahyuni, 20, Mulyati, alias Tan Ahu, 57, Enfone, 60, Warni, 12, according to Antara. All lived in Batam or Bintan.

On Saturday, a three-year-old boy named Andi was rescued but he died soon afterwards.

A navigation safety official at Tanjung Pinang port, Zam Zakirwir, said several people trapped in the sinking ferry went down with the vessel. (21/01/aan/swe)