Seven drowned, three missing after boat sinks

PEKALONGAN, Central Java (JP): A holiday trip ended in disaster on Wednesday when seven people drowned and three went missing after a boat carrying Idul Fitri revelers sank in the waters off Pekalongan, Central Java. The 15 survivors were still in hospital on Thursday, as police, residents and fishermen continued to search for the other three passengers -- Yuniarti, 22, Sunarni, 11 and Sipon, 30.

The victims were part of a group who had rented the Soyo Mulyo boat to enjoy a holiday trip at sea. Among the dead were two children.

Lt. Col. Ismu Haryomo, the Pekalongan police chief, said a large wave hit the boat, capsizing it only one kilometer from the coast. He added that the boat was overloaded, as it was designed to carry only 10 people, and not the 25 passengers on Wednesday.

The passengers were all from Kutoarjo village in Kajen district and Gutomo village in Karanganyar district.

Those who died were Susanto, 20, Karni, 30, Slamet, 42, Distri, 18, Sunaryo, 35, Sumardi, 8 and the youngest, Anan Hermawan, 2. The captain, Suwarno, and his assistant, Suwandi, both survived the accident.

The Budi Rahayu hospital is still treating Rahayu, 15, Wurnisih, 6, Sumitri, 12 and Fitri Eni, 6.

Meanwhile, Antara reported Thursday that road accidents during the two-day holiday caused several deaths.

In Central Java, a child died and 11 were injured in separate accidents on the Cepu-Blora road on Tuesday. A family of three on a motorcycle -- Yanto, 42, his wife Siti, 32 and their son Hafit, 11, crashed into a minibus. Hafit died while his parents were severely injured.

Another accident involving a motorcycle killed Mochammad Ali, 18, of the Kendilan Sambong village. He was passenger on a motorbike driven by Agus Lestari, 19.

A Magelang military academy officer, Maj. Sakasenda, died when his car hit a tree on the road between Sragen and Mantingan.

In Pemalang, a man died when his motorbike hit a pedicab. The victim, Slamet Budiyanto, was believed to have taken illegal drugs before the accident, Antara reported. However, rumors that he had been attacked by a mob led to rioting and vandalism in nearby Widuri.

Another victim was a 60-year-old woman, Maryati, a resident of Krapyak, who was hit by a passing train in Semarang.

Police also said that from Jan. 12 to Jan. 17, the Idul Fitri exodus saw seven traffic accidents which killed 10 people.

The worst was when five people died and nine were injured when a minibus hit an intercity bus, causing it to crash into the gates of the Surodadi police station in Tegal.

Police also recorded several crimes during the holidays, including burglaries of empty homes. (45/anr)