Rescuers intensify search for 'Arta Rimba' victims

JAKARTA (JP): Rescue workers have intensified the search for the hundreds of people aboard the KLM Arta Rimba, which sank in West Kalimantan waters last week, with the deployment of three more Navy ships and one other boat, KM Clurit from Jakarta, an official said Monday.

According to Capt. Zainuddin, the section chief in charge of sea traffic and transport at the port office in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, five bodies were taken to the Dr. Sudarso hospital late Sunday night. A total of eight bodies were found on Sunday, he said.

"Three were brought by the KRI Rencong while the other five bodies were transported around midnight by KRI Sigaluh and KRI Siliman," Zainuddin told The Jakarta Post by phone.

The rescuers failed to identify the bodies as they were already decomposed, he added.

"We haven't found any other bodies on Monday ... mainly due to strong winds and high tides," he said.

He said the weather conditions made recovery efforts difficult as the bodies did not stay in the positions reported by search planes. "The remains of the victims are also eaten by fish," he said.

Sunday's discovery brought the total number of bodies recovered from the accident to 18. The Navy now has eight ships involved in the operation.

So far only 20 survivors have been rescued after the Arta Rimba sank in rough weather with 325 people on board on Saturday Feb. 6.

Survivors said the boat sank because of water pump failure and a leak in the hull.

"We will continue the search as there was no official order to stop the evacuation," Zainuddin said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the House of Representatives Commission IV, Burhanuddin Napitupulu, called on Minister of Communications Giri Suseno to take responsibility for the tragedy.

"As a technical minister he cannot just sit back and wait for reports from behind the desk. He has to check why a cargo ship could be overloaded (with people) like that," Burhanuddin was quoted by Antara as saying.

Separately, Director General of Sea Transportation Agus Rudiyanto stated Monday that he would revoke the license of KLM Arta Rimba's operators.

"We can revoke the license of the captain permanently and forbid the responsible parties from working in the field ever again," Agus said. (edt)