Thu, 23 Oct 1997

Rescue find last Barito victim

PALANGKA RAYA, Central Kalimantan: Rescue workers have found the remaining victim of Sunday's boat collision on the Barito river.

Riduansyah of the local river, lake and ferry service was quoted by Antara as saying that the discovery of the latest casualty, identified as Juardi, 26, concluded the search for the 28 victims.

An estimated 65 people were aboard the boat which slammed into a barge transporting coal.

Visibility at the time was less than five meters due to the haze from forest fires which has enveloped Kalimantan in the past three months.

But Riduansyah also claimed that the boat, which was two meters wide and 13 meters long, was too small to be carrying 65 people.

He said most of the passengers were on their way to the nearby traditional market in Kabuau village.

Sunday's collision was the fourth to occur in Kapuas in the past three months. (10)