Search still on for crew members

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.