More bodies found in search for drowned ferry victims
More bodies found in search for drowned ferry victims
JAKARTA (JP): Rescue workers found more bodies on Friday in
their search for victims from the KLM Arta Rimba which sank with
325 people on board last Sunday near the West Kalimantan coast.
Officials, however, gave different counts of the bodies found.
As of 5:30 p.m. Friday, nine more bodies were found by
rescuers on the Navy warship KRI Rencong, according to Capt.
Zainuddin, the section chief in charge of sea traffic and
transport at the port office in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
"The nine bodies were found in the waters off Penikek island,
about 60 miles from Pontianak," Zainuddin told The Jakarta Post
by phone.
The bodies have started to decompose, he said.
"It's difficult to identify them. The remains have already
been transferred to the Dr. Sudarso Hospital in Kampung Bangka
Belitung, Pontianak for autopsy," he added.
No survivors were found on Friday.
Meanwhile, Antara reported that 19 bodies were found floating
in the waters off Pengiki island Friday afternoon by a monitoring
plane.
Spokesman for the Navy's Western Fleet Lt. Col. Harry
Setianegara said the bodies were taken on board KRI Rencong which
was already near to the accident site.
The remains were put in body bags to be quickly transported to
Pontianak, he added.
Efforts to find survivors will continue with the help of other
Navy ships namely KRI Siliman, KRI Pulau Rangsang and KRI Pulau
Raibu.
On Thursday, 20 survivors, including the boat's captain, and
one dead body were found by fishermen near the site.
"We will continue the search. As of now, after dropping the
bodies here in Pontianak, the KRI Rencong will sail on with 10
more rescuers," Zainuddin added.
When asked about the possibility of finding survivors, he
said: "Let's hope... we will give our best effort to finding the
victims. But seeing the condition of the bodies, it's going to be
difficult to find survivors."
The sinking, 11 hours after setting sail, occurred near
Tambelan, part of a cluster of islands off the West Kalimantan
coast, and was due to irreparable leakage in the hull. The ship
was supposed to carry only a captain and seven crew members.
(edt)