Four rescued after tugboat sinks in Indonesia's Anambas waters
We urge everyone to remain vigilant, especially during bad weather,Natuna (ANTARA) - A joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team in Indonesia’s Anambas Islands District, Riau Islands Province, evacuated four crew members after their tugboat sank in waters off the district.
Anambas Islands Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner I Gusti Ngurah Agung Budianaloka confirmed on Sunday that the survivors included the vessel’s captain and three crew members. The tugboat was identified as TB AOM 787.
He said the four survivors were rescued by the South Korean-flagged cargo vessel MV Shanghai Voyager, which spotted them aboard an inflatable life raft on Saturday night (July 25) in waters off the Anambas Islands.
“The four survivors were found by the foreign vessel after escaping in a life raft and surviving at sea for approximately three hours,” he said.
The South Korean vessel reported the incident to the Indonesian SAR team, prompting a joint rescue operation in the Anambas Islands.
The tugboat reportedly sank after encountering severe weather. During the evacuation, members of the joint SAR team also faced high waves and strong winds.
The survivors were identified as Captain Zulkifli and crew members Arbain, Dodi, and Tawakal.
They were taken to Tarempa Regional General Hospital in the Anambas Islands for further medical examination after being evacuated.
“Based on the initial examination, all four survivors are safe and in good health,” Budianaloka said.
TB AOM 787 was towing a barge through the Anambas waters on Saturday when strong winds and high waves struck.
The severe weather caused the tugboat to lose stability, prompting the crew to cut the towing line connecting it to the barge to reduce the risk. However, shortly after separating from the barge, the tugboat was unable to regain stability, capsized, and sank at around 1 p.m. local time.
The police chief urged the public and all maritime transport operators to prioritize safety and closely monitor weather conditions before setting sail.
The joint SAR team comprised personnel from the National Search and Rescue Agency, the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the National Police.
“Safety must remain the top priority in every activity at sea. We urge everyone to remain vigilant, especially during bad weather,” Budianaloka said.
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Translator: Bayu Prasetyo