Search still on for crew members

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Fifteen crew members of the Putra Timor Sarana 03 fishing boat are still unaccounted for since the boat went missing on Nov. 18. The boat was last seen around Rote island in Kupang regency.

The head of the search and rescue operation team, Slamet Riyadi, was quoted by Antara as saying Monday that the team, the Navy, the Orari radio organization, port authorities and locals were still searching for the missing.

The crew members are employees of the fish processing company PT Putra Timor Sarana Pembangunan Kupang. The boat left the port on Nov. 18 from Teanu Kupang Port.

Riyadi said the boat had reported engine trouble around Rote but its precise whereabouts were unclear, adding that communication devices were also damaged on the missing boat.

Riyadi regretted the delay of the firm in reporting the information. "We were notified only on Saturday," he said.

He said eight of the firm's boats were involved in the search for the boat which could have entered Australian waters.