Capsize death toll rises to 12

TANGERANG (JP): The bodies of five more people who drowned when the overloaded boat in which they were traveling capsized bring the death toll from the accident to 12, an official has said.

The boat was carrying guests back to Cituis port in Tangerang from a wedding reception in the Thousand Islands when it capsized, Parmudji, the head of port authority, said.

The five, who were found floating near Lancang island some distance from where the boat capsized, were identified as Jajang, 25, Sarwiah, 45, Acip, 45, Rojali, 5, and Sarbawi, 21, he said.

The victims were found by the search and rescue teams which have been scouring the area since shortly after the accident happened.

Parmudji said he was not sure how many people were still missing because reports on the number of passengers traveling on the boat were contradictory.

"Confusion over the exact number of the passengers on the boat has been caused mainly by the absence of a manifest," he said.

The Krisna-1 was reported to have been carrying 30 passengers and a crew of three, but as of yesterday the number of survivors had reached 36, he said.

All passengers boarded at Lancang Island and were heading for Cituis port in Paku Haji, Tangerang, after the wedding ceremony when the accident happened.

The vessel measured 1.5 meters by 7 meters and reportedly had the capacity to carry between 12 and 15 people. The passengers apparently panicked when the craft was battered by huge waves and winds shortly before it capsized about 2.3 nautical miles from Lancang. (41/hhr)