Bodies of fishermen found

JEMBER, East Java: The bodies of four fishermen from Jember, East Java lost during a tidal gale on the Indonesian Ocean at the end of December have been found decaying some 100 kilometers east in Banyuwangi.

Chief of the Puger police office Sgt. Maj. Mudjidjajanto said Wednesday the bodies were believed to be of Nur Hasan, Supa'i, Samedi, 35, and Marsa'i. The remains of their boat Sulton Putra was found with the bodies.

The tiny boat capsized in the troubled seas one day after the fishermen set out on a regular sail on Dec. 16.

Data from the Puger village cooperative shows the Indonesian Ocean kills 10 local fishermen annually.

A fisherman told Antara that gales and storms usually came between December and April. (amd)