Fatal ferry crash likely due to negligence
Fatal ferry crash likely due to negligence
JP/2/sink/set lead 2col, 10pts, crosshead 12 MB
Fatal ferry crash likely due to negligence
JAKARTA (JP): The ferry Kaltimas II which sunk with over 12
fatalities off Bali on Tuesday night, was months overdue for
routine maintenance, says the head of Bali's transportation
office.
"The owner should have not delayed the schedule for dry-
docking," Made Sudhana said of the boat, which went down in
storm-tossed seas between Ketapang in East Java and Gilimanuk in
Bali.
While only twelve bodies have been recovered along the East
Java coast, at least 28 remain missing and hope wanes with each
passing hour.
The 275 gross-ton vessel last went in for maintenance in March
of 1992.
Gilimanuk port spokesman Made Sudhiarta said Wednesday that of
the 80 registered passengers on board the Kaltimas II, 38 are
known to have survived the wreck.
Rough seas
The vessel was on its way from Ketapang to Gilimanuk, 125 km
west of Denpasar, and was carrying six lorries, two containers
and the 'Jawa Baru' bus laden with 32 passengers.
The vessel made a distress call to the port at 09:30 pm local
time. Officers immediately launched a rescue operation but were
hampered by the rough seas.
13 of the survivors were picked from the sea - some in bad
condition - by fishermen based in Muncar, Banyuwangi, East Java,
early on Wednesday. They were then taken to Ketapang port.
Meanwhile, officials at the state-owned hospital at Blambangan
in East Java confirmed there are 12 known dead and that they have
treated 15 survivors who have been discharged.
Other survivors managed to reach the Muncar coast by
themselves and were helped by local fishermen. They were sent to
the hospital at Blambangan.
The search and rescue mission continues.
The identities of the twelve dead victims could not be
immediately established. Information was also not available on
the exact number of people that had been traveling on the boat or
on the material losses incurred.
The accident has caused a long queue of vehicles at both
Ketapang and Gilimanuk port. Of the 14 ferries serving the
crowded route, only eight are now running, Sudhiarta said.
He said three other vessels have joined the navy in the search
for survivors while the other two are being repaired.
Ferries are the cheapest and most popular form of transport
linking Java and Bali, as well as many other islands. (prs)