Navy clears S'baya mines

Navy clears S'baya mines

JAKARTA (JP): The chief of the Navy's Eastern Armada Rear Admiral Gofar Soewarno has ordered his minesweeping unit to search for mines that might have been placed off Kenjeran beach in Surabaya during World War II.

The armada's chief spokesman, Lt. Col. Kusmandar, told Antara in Surabaya yesterday that the allies had anchored their warships off of the beach. They guarded the area with mines.

The Navy recently received a report from villagers in nearby Probolinggo about finding sea mines, he said.

Following this report, the Eastern Armada set up a task force specifically to clear any remaining mines off the coast of Surabaya and other cities.

The force includes minesweeper KRI Pulau Rupat, two units of frogmen and two units of marines, Kusmandar said. (emb)