Indonesia counts the cost of warship mishap

Indonesia counts the cost of warship mishap

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Navy's warship KRI Teluk Lampung,
which ran into trouble off Spain last week as it was making the
trip from Germany to Indonesia, has been towed to a safer spot
and will be repaired before resuming its journey, officials said.

News that the vessel, a tank-transport which is among 39
warships being procured from Germany, had been saved came as a
relief for the government as earlier reports from France
suggested that it was sinking in stormy weather.

It spared the government major embarrassment as the accident
occurred amidst allegations of massive cost overruns in the
procurement of the 39 ships, all from the former arsenal of East
Germany. Officials have denied suggestions that the ships are
little better than scrap metal, saying that they are all in good
condition.

State Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, who is
handling the procurement, stressed on Saturday that the accident
was caused by exceptionally bad weather and that technically,
there was nothing wrong with the ship.

"What technical mistake?" he asked reporters back. "That ship
was battered by 10-meter high waves, all day and not simply five
or 10 minutes. Obviously it tipped over."

All 52 crew of the KRI Teluk Lampung were airlifted by Spanish
helicopters immediately after a distress signal was sent from the
Biscay Bay along the border of France and Spain.

Habibie explained that the ship had kept as close to the shore
as possible but had to sail further out to sea to avoid
Portuguese waters when it ran into stormy sea.

Water began pouring over the prow of the ship and into open
hatches, flooding the ship's bilge, and this caused the ship to
tip about 20 degrees.

One of the advantages of these German ships is that they
cannot sink, Habibie said.

He recalled that three tank-transports that had arrived in
Indonesia reported that their doors were also swept open during
their journey here but the crew managed to quickly shut them.

He said that the remaining tank-landers will have their doors
soldered before setting sail from Germany to prevent similar
accidents.

Habibie said the cost of the repairs will be fully born out by
the Agency for the Application of Research and Technology (BPPT)
which he also heads.

Armed Force Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung on Saturday said the
ship was not insured. "What company would insure a warship?" he
responded when reporters asked about the losses to the
government.

Navy Deputy Chief of Staff for Operational Affairs Rear
Admiral Murdjijo said the KRI Teluk Lampung was the
responsibility of the BPPT, although the Navy supplied the crew.

The ship, captained by Lt. Col. Tedjo Edhy, set sail from
Neustad, Germany, along with a corvette, KRI Imam Bonjol, last
month.

Habibie last week denied a report in Tempo newsweekly on cost
overruns, stressing that the higher budget proposal for the
procurement stated in Tempo includes the cost of refurbishing the
ships, the purchase of spare parts, ammunition and the cost of
upgrading a number of naval bases that will house the new ships.

The 39 ships ordered from Germany include 16 corvettes, 14
tank-transports and nine minesweepers. Seventeen of them have
arrived in Indonesia, with the remaining 22 due later this year.

Tempo said that the Ministry of Finance had turned down
Habibie's request for a US$1.1 billion budget, well higher than
the $300 million originally estimated for the ships. (rms)