Ship slowly sinks after collision

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: About two thirds of the body of the KM Leuser luxurious passenger ship has sunk in the Mahakam River after it collided last Thursday with the motorized boat KM Kayu Lapis V, Antara reported yesterday.

Samarinda Port chief Mardinis said the ship had tilted 48 degrees to the left. Port personnel had moored the ship to seven trees along the river, but the ship continued to sink.

Another port official, Hari Iskandar, said his office had tried to prevent the ship from sinking completely so that repair work could be done soon. He was concerned, however, that the effort might fail because of the strong river current hitting the vessel.

The ship is the 13th owned by state-owned shipping company PT Pelni.

The ship was carrying 716 passengers when it collided with the boat just 16 nautical miles from Samarinda on the way to Toli- toli. There were no casualties.

Three hundred passengers continued on to Toli-toli on another passenger ship, KM Umsini from Balikpapan.

The remaining passengers were still sheltering in hotels in Samarinda, paid for by PT Pelni, awaiting KM Binaiya from Samarinda that will transport them to Tarakan and Nunukan Thursday. (swe)