Boat bursts into flames, 22 die

Jongker Rumthe, Manado

At least 22 crew members including the Taiwanese captain and a Chinese national were killed as their fishing boat exploded and caught fire in the Arufuru Sea, approximately 350 km southeast of Ambon, Maluku, survivors said on Wednesday.

The accident actually occurred on Saturday but was just reported by the surviving crew members who recently arrived in Bitung, North Sulawesi province, on Tuesday evening after being rescued by another fishing boat.

The ill-fated ship, KM Sri Muryani 02, is owned by PT Indo Hong Hai (PT IHH), based in Bitung.

Among the dead were four boat crew members from Bitung -- Oksan Carlos, Hentje T, Fany M and Roy Lohige, while the five survivors were M Amin, Wandoko, Maulana M, Roshidin from Tegal, Central Java, and Yance S from Bitung.

The survivors said a short-circuit likely triggered the explosion that quickly ignited the wooden ship.

Yance said that during the fire he and four other crew members jumped over board. They were drifting in the sea and were later rescued by a passing fishing vessel, KM Udang 02, from Sorong, Papua.

The North Sulawesi water police unit stationed in Bitung confirmed the report on the accident but refused to speak further.

"Sorry, we are not authorized to give any more details about the matter because the accident did not take place in our jurisdiction," said a local police officer.

North Sulawesi police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Budhy Wibowo also declined to comment on the cause of the accident.

"Sorry, the matter is very sensitive and is still being investigated. I can't explain further. It happened in waters off the Aru islands in the southeast part of Maluku," he said.