Shipping company accused of trying to cover up accident

JAKARTA (JP): A local shipping company in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, has finally been forced to admit that it delayed reporting an accident involving one of its ships in which eight crewmen went missing.

Antara reported that Governor La Ode Kaimoeddin publicly berated the shipping company's management for allegedly trying to cover up the sinking of the KM Garuda late last month.

The governor told journalists Thursday that he was very disappointed with the Dharma Samudera company manager for concealing the incident from local government officials.

"I have to receive approval from my headquarters in Surabaya before I can issue a statement," the news agency quoted Nugroho, the local branch manager, as saying.

The fishing vessel sank on Feb. 25 in Banggai waters, after hitting rough seas near Kendari Bay.

Eight of the 12 crew members are still missing, including the captain, La Dini. Four crew members survived and were rescued by a passing ship on March 1.

Nugroho said he was informed of the accident by one of the survivors five days after it had taken place.

"When the boat began to sink, we jumped into the sea and held onto jerry cans to keep us afloat," Widodo, one of the survivors, said yesterday.

Nugroho insisted that he deployed four ships to search for the victims, but to no avail.

"The company will pay compensation to the victim's families. We have so far given Rp 100,000 (US$10) to each family," Nugroho said.

Indonesia saw a spate of sea accidents last year that killed hundreds of people.

Among the worst accidents was when an overloaded ferry sank in Lake Toba, North Tapanuli, North Sumatra in July. Seventy-seven bodies were found, but the true number of dead still remains a mystery. The ferry's capacity was only 60 passengers but officials believe up to 200 may have been aboard. (prb)