Probe on 'Gurita' tragedy continues

JAKARTA (JP): Police have collected the signatures of hundreds of witnesses necessary for court proceedings in the case of the Gurita ferry which sank off Banda Aceh waters in January and claimed 338 lives.

The signatures are needed to complete reports to be sent to the High Prosecutor's Office. Aceh Police Chief Col. A. Hamid Busra confirmed the signature collection while Aceh Vice Governor Brig. Gen. Zainuddin AG said they are needed to facilitate further examinations.

The ferry sank while sailing from Malahayati/Krueng Raya near Banda Aceh to Sabang, the main town on Weh Island opposite Aceh.

The police and the provincial administration's fact-finding teams have ended their own investigation and submitted the results to Minister Haryanto Dhanutirto and President Soeharto.

Zainuddin said the police have previously handed the dossiers on people suspected of being responsible for the accident to the prosecutor's office. However, the dossiers were recently returned because they were considered incomplete.

Hamid said his office will complete the dossiers within three days.

The police, who lost six officers in the tragedy, announced recently that six people were directly responsible for the tragedy: two port officials and four officials of PT ASDP, the state-owned ferry service company.

He denied the suggestion that the list of suspects might grow.

The charges against the suspects will include negligence, filing false reports, and endangering the lives of others, he said.

The 1970-model Gurita was operated by the government-owned River, Lake and Crossing Transportation Services and had been refitted with a new engine. (31)