Locals discover another body from sunken ship 'Belaza Timor'

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara

The body of a fourth victim of the maritime accident in waters off Flores Island was found on Tuesday, a week after the Belaza Timor was lost in severe storms that swept through three eastern provinces.

Chief of Sikka Police Adj. Sr. Comr. F.X. Bagus Wahyono said the body of John Alberto L.B., 30, was discovered by locals on a beach in Kepadung subdistrict, Sikka regency.

"We asked Kristianus Lela Sura, the only survivor, to identify the body, and he said the victim was John Alberto," Bagus said.

Kristianus, who was also captain of the ill-fated ship, also helped police identify three other victims -- Jonathan Abia M, 26, Hidjah, 20 and J Oce Derusalam, 40 -- whose bodies were found on Sunday by locals on beaches in Sinar Hading and Kawaliwu subdistricts.

Locals had rescued Kristianus on Saturday in Kojadoi subdistrict, four days after the Belaza Timor cargo ship sank in the waters off Flores, a few kilometers east of Paloe island.

Aside from the four recovered bodies, seven shipmates are still missing: Abubakar, Muhammad, Simon A. Tallo, Jhon Fay, Abraham Y, Semy and Irawan.

Bagus believed the other crew members could have been dragged out to sea to the eastern tip of Flores Island, Adonara Island or the Alor Islands.

"I have contacted the East Flores and Alor police to help search for those who are still missing," he said.

More than 40 Search and Rescue officers have been looking for the seven since Saturday, but their efforts were suspended on Tuesday as waves around Flores reached three to five meters high.

They would continue the search when the weather calmed, said Bagus.