SAR has yet to act in Majene

SAR has yet to act in Majene

MAJENE, South Sulawesi (JP): Seven days after the KM Restu
Illahi sank off Majene in the Makassar Bay, there have still been
no Search and Rescue (SAR) teams deployed to search for the 47
missing passengers.

Majene port administrator Albar Yahya said here on Saturday
that he had reported the incident to the Makassar SAR head office
on May 30, but efforts by SAR to search for the missing
passengers had yet to be made.

Diming, an operational staff member of SAR III Makassar,
confirmed that SAR had yet to deploy any teams to Majene.

"It will be very dangerous for us to enter the Makassar Bay
without adequate equipment," Diming told The Jakarta Post, adding
that SAR expected the Navy to do something to search for the
passengers.

When asked who was really responsible for such a fatal
accident, Diming said, "The (ill-fated) ship had been late to
contact us about the accident. The Makassar Bay is vulnerable to
ship accidents, while our equipment is mediocre. We just expect
local fishermen's help."

The four-ton ship, carrying a total of 84 passengers, mostly
merchants, and nine crew members, left the Palipi port in Majene
regency for Kotabaru, South Kalimantan, at 6 p.m. on Saturday May
26. It reportedly hit a flotilla of logs, followed by huge waves
six hours later.

All 37 survivors, including captain Abdul Rahman and another
crew member identified as Damri, were found stranded on the
Palipi and Pakbusuang shorelines on Thursday and Friday. They
have returned home. (27/sur)