Shipping company accused of trying to cover up accident

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)