One bus accident victim remains unidentified

One bus accident victim remains unidentified

JAKARTA (JP): All but one of the 31 people killed in the Kramatdjati bus accident have been identified and claimed by their families.

Dr. Her Kuntanto, head of the forensics department at Bogor's Red Cross Hospital, told The Jakarta Post yesterday that the forensics team would need two or three days to determine the age and identity of the remaining victim.

"We must be extra careful. We want everything to be done accurately in the forensic examination," Kuntanto said, refusing to reveal if the victim was male or female.

Another hospital source said, however, that the victim was a woman.

Kuntanto said that the hospital is cooperating with a medical team from the University of Indonesia in its forensic examinations.

Thirty-one people were killed on Saturday when a speeding Kramatdjati bus heading from Jakarta to Bandung hit a jeep stopped on the left shoulder of the Jagorawi toll road. The bus burst into flames, killing 29 passengers who were unable to escape from the bus.

Two women in the jeep, a policewoman and the wife of another police officer, were also killed upon impact.

The bus driver, Agus Effendi, was apprehended later the same day with two barbiturate pills found in his pocket. He has admitted to having taken barbiturates before driving but claims to have been in good condition while driving.

The Kompas morning daily reported yesterday that the Sihotang family of Pondok Cina, Depok, has visited the hospital in search of information about one of its family members, Ani Sihotang. The family is still waiting for the results of the forensic examinations. (sur)