Fishermen get Rp18b oil spill money

CILACAP, Central Java: The Cilacap branch of the Indonesian Fishermen Association (HNSI) has received some Rp 18 billion in compensation due to damages caused by an oil leak from MT King Fisher oil tanker.

"We agreed to receive the compensation as our initial demand might be too difficult to get," Ansor Basuki, Cilacap administration spokesman, said on Monday. Initially fishermen had sought Rp 80 billion, as the oil spill has severely polluted the waters making fishing impossible for months.

An estimated 6,000 barrels of oil leaked into the waters off Cilacap in April when the tanker hit a reef.

The funds were handed by the ships's insurance representative Aninda H. Listyarto to local HNSI chairman Atas Munandar on Saturday.(45/edt)