Official killed and two others missing in boat mishap
Official killed and two others missing in boat mishap
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
An official was killed and two others are feared dead after their
speed boat collided with a motorized canoe on the Kelambu river
in Kutai Kartanegara regency, East Kalimantan.
The missing are the head of the province's National Unity
Office, N.B. Naryanto, and office staff member Adi. The body of
Mujiono, who also worked for the unity office, has been
recovered.
Naryanto's son Yudha and Heryansyah, who also both worked for
the unity office, survived Sunday's accident in Anggana
subdistrict, Antara reported on Monday.
All four passengers of the motorized canoe survived.
Rescue workers, police and local villagers were expected to
continue their search for the missing men on Tuesday.
Anggana military command chief First Lt. Sukadiman told Antara
that the collision occurred at 7 p.m. local time.
Neither the speed boat, owned by the unity office and driven
by Naryanto, or the canoe had lights. Both boats had sunk and had
not been found.
Yudha said they were traveling home to Samarinda from Anggana
when the collision took place.
"Our vessel was split up and capsized."
Yudha said his father had attempted to swim to the riverbank
but failed as the current was too strong.
"My father then returned to the middle of the river and
grabbed onto the speed boat that had already split in two.
"Pak Heryansyah and I did the same, and my father gave me a
life belt. Pak Heryansyah and I managed to swim to the riverbank,
but I lost sight of my father was after that."
East Kalimantan Governor Suwarna A.F., who joined the search
and rescue team, expressed concern.
He asked that the local transportation office take steps to
prevent similar tragedies, including enforcing traffic
regulations on the river.
It was not clear what traffic regulations he was referring to.
Suwarna said another boat accident on June 29, 2003 claimed
the lives of at least three local officials from East Kalimantan.