Sailor killed by colleague

JAKARTA (JP): A 50-year-old sailor was stabbed to death during a fight with another crew member on board the Contesa 04 fishing boat Thursday while sailing across the Karimata strait, off Karimata island, West Kalimantan.

The body of Hasyim was transported back to the boat's home base in Sunda Kelapa Port, North Jakarta, Saturday by another boat after being kept for three days in the Contesa's refrigerator, which is normally used to freeze fish, said Samsuri, a close friend of his.

Sunda Kelapa Police are investigating the incident. The main suspect, whose identity remains unknown, was said to have escaped by jumping into the sea after stabbing Hasyim in the head, chest and stomach.

According to Samsuri, who sailed with Hasyim, there was at least eight crew members on board the fishing boat at the time.

Samsuri said the suspect went berserk on Thursday, leaving two other crew members badly injured.

Hasyim's body was taken out of the boat's refrigerator and transferred to the Sumber Jaya shortly after it rendezvoused with the Contesa to collect its catch.

"For as long as I've know him, Hasyim had no rivals," he said.

Hasyim, who lived in Cilincing subdistrict in North Jakarta, was married and had one daughter. (ivy)