Captain suspect in boat capsize

Captain suspect in boat capsize

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java

Police named on Monday the captain of the Bunga Muwarta motorized
fishing boat a suspect in Sunday's accident in the waters of
Cirebon that left 10 people, mostly children, dead.

Cirebon Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Musyafak said the skipper,
Udin Bin Dayim, 20, will be charged with negligence and violation
of Article 359 of the Criminal Code. The article carries a
maximum of 10 years imprisonment upon conviction.

Musyafak said Udin boarded 22 passengers plus his mechanic in
the vessel, which had a maximum capacity of not more than six
adults, during a good luck ceremony.

"This is definitely extraordinary negligence," Musyafak said.

The vessel sank around 35 kilometers east of Cirebon as its
passengers struggled for food offerings floating in the sea as
part of a traditional Nyadran ceremony held by residents of
Ambulu village in Losari subdistrict.

The police identified the dead as Selfin Yusuf bin Kaslan, 6,
Rina binti Slamet, 12, Andi bin Sewas, 3, Rumini binti Ratno, 12,
Raenah binti Kusnadi, 13, Nano bin Dayin, 10, Wamin bin Karyo,
11, Turisah binti Daslam, 9, Rojudin bin Tayam, 26, and Saeri
binti Suti, 52.

Two of the 12 injured passengers are being treated at
Cirebon's Waled hospital, while 10 others are in the general
hospital in the neighboring town of Brebes in Central Java.

Musyafak said the police were also questioning Udin's
assistant, Wasnari, and the event's organizing committee
chairman, Kusnadi.

"They are being questioned as witnesses, but if we find
evidence of their role in the accident, their status could be
changed into suspects," Musyafak said.