Overcrowded fishing boat sinks off Makasar, six die

Overcrowded fishing boat sinks off Makasar, six die

The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi

Six passengers of a passenger-cum-fishing boat, the Sinar Jaya 03, died after it was hit by high waves, and the victims were thrown into the waters of the Makassar Strait near Kodingareng Island, some 11 17.7 kilometers southwest of the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, at around 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Besides the fatalities, another passenger was reported missing and two others were receiving treatment at the Stella Maris Hospital in Makassar.

The six were identified as Kebo, 37, Hadria, 35, Hajja Lija, 42, Nurlia Jufri, 17, Marlina, 14, and Salma, 45. Their bodies have been claimed by their families and are due to be buried on Friday.

Meanwhile, the missing passenger was identified as Saleha, 17, and the two passengers receiving treatment in the hospital as Rizki Nasir, 5, and Hajrana, 30.

Police reports said the boat left Kodingareng Island for Barrang Caddi Island at around 9:30 a.m.

But, when the boat was only 300 meters away from the Kodingareng jetty, it was suddenly hit by high waves that threw 15 passengers who where sitting on top of the boat's cabin roof into the water.

One of the survivors, Hajrana, said there were about 50 people on board the boat, twice its capacity of 30 people.

As the boat's deck was already full of passengers, the 15 passengers then sat on the roof.

"Perhaps, it was due to overcrowding that when the strong waves hit, the boat suddenly listed," Hajrana said.

Surviving passengers, together with local fishermen and residents, and officers from the Makassar Port Police who arrived an hour later, then attempted to save the passengers who had been thrown into the water. All they found were six bodies and the two injured passengers.

While Hajrana had improved by Thursday afternoon after receiving treatment at the Stella Maris hospital, the other injured victim, Rizki, was still on a drip.

Chief of the Public Service Unit of the Makassar Port Police, Second Insp. Priyo Purawanto, said later on Thursday evening that the police, with the help of local residents, would continue their operation to rescue or recover the bodies of the missing passengers.

He said the police would also focus on the cause of the incident.

"We're still investigating the real cause of the incident. We have just summoned the boat owner and its captain for questioning," Priyo said.

"Please be patient."