Foul play in sea accident?

Foul play in sea accident?

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: An official here said on Tuesday
that collusion might have led to an accident which killed at
least 15 passengers on two overloaded boats.

The suspicion of collusion between the boat captains and
harbor officials "may be true, and may be untrue," deduced
Siahaan, the head of the sea transport section of the provincial
office of the Ministry of Transport.

"It often happens here especially with the boats which serve
isolated, small islands," Siahaan said.

On Dec. 11 the KM Bunga Coklat 01 and the KM Balibis 02 sunk
at separate locations off Bone Strait in rough seas. Death
reports vary between 10 and 23 people.

Five people are missing and Regent Adel Berty admitted the
casualty count might be higher.

Harbor officials stated the total number of passengers could
be 168, but Adel said the exact figure isn't available.

The Bunga Coklat, a cargo ship allowed to take a maximum of 50
passengers, was carrying at least 100 passengers when it sunk,
Antara quoted Siahaan as saying yesterday. The Balibis was
carrying on only 14 people according to the passenger list, but
it was later established that 34 passengers were on board when
the tragedy occurred.

"The additional passengers might have been allowed to board
through the captain's generosity," said Siahaan. The illegal
passengers might have also boarded the boats at a small port
where no officers were on duty, he said. (anr)