Seven seamen killed in strange trawler mishap

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

Six fishermen died during vain attempts to save the life of a seventh in a bizarre tragedy aboard a trawler in North Sumatra on Sunday.

The deaths are believed caused by toxic air in a hold filled with rotting fish remains. Chemical poisoning has not been ruled out.

Deputy captain of the trawler KM Deli Balai Indah, Udin, 35, said the crew was returning home to Bagan Asahan Port, Tanjung Balai District, from a month's fishing in Riau when the accident occurred.

The seven dead crew members were identified as Udin, 25, Budi, 19, Erwin, 22, Taat Agung, 19, Tino, 19, Sjahril, 22, and Butang alias Muin, 27.

Udin said crew member Udin climbed down into a hold used to store fish with the intention of cleaning it after a month of catching and selling fish at sea. Measuring about three-meters deep, the hold was accessible only through a door at the top.

Udid said Udin stepped through the door, fell and let out a cry for help. When Taat followed him into the tank he fell also. Budi, suspecting something was wrong, came after them.

But he did no better. Muin decided to help his three friends and entered the tank as well.

Next came Erwin, then Tino. Sjahril was the last to think he could help his six friends.

"After seeing seven enter the tank and not a single one reemerge, none of the other crew members dared follow them," Udin said.

He said that when the trawler docked at Teluk Nibung Port about 90 minutes later, the crew opened the cover of the hold and found all seven crew members dead at the bottom of the tank.

The vessel continued its trip home to the Bagan Asahan port in the Tanjung Balai regency where most of the victims lived.

The bodies were taken to Tengku Mansyur Hospital where doctors were attempting to establish a cause of death.

Udin said he suspected the seven died from breathing toxic air emanating from the rotting fish and the water inside the hold.

Hospital director Harsimah Hasnan did not rule out poisoning.

He said the hospital had taken samples of the water from the vessel's tank and from the foam from the victims' mouths.

Tanjung Balai Police are also conducting tests. They have detained the ship's captain, Sofyan, and Udin for questioning.