Suspect in 'Gurita' case named

Suspect in 'Gurita' case named

JAKARTA (JP): Police yesterday named six government officials
as suspects in last month's tragedy of the sinking of the Gurita
ferry in Aceh which left more than 100 dead, Antara reported.

Chief Detective of Aceh Police, Lt. Col. Surya Dharma told
reporters that the suspects were the Malahayati/Krueng Raya
portmaster, identified by Antara by his initials YUS, the port's
administrator KD, and four officials of the state-owned company
which operated the ferry, respectively AK, IHN, AS and BMA.

He said none of them were under arrest and there were no
reason to fear that they might fled. "They have fully cooperated
with the investigation and confessed to their errors."

He did not give the precise charges against them other than
saying that they may include negligence, filing false reports,
and endangering the lives of others.

Surya added the list of suspects could still grow.

Police have not been able to question the chief of the Aceh
Office of the Ministry of Transportation, identified only as S,
although he has already been summoned twice, he said. "I will
personally pick him up if he continues to ignore our summons."

The Gurita, which is owned by PT ASDP, sank on Jan. 19 as it
sailed from Malahayati to Sabang on Weh Island near Banda Aceh.
Forty people survived, 54 bodies were found, but the precise
number of people who drowned or are missing has not been
determined, due to confusion about the number of passengers.

The portmaster has insisted that the ferry was carrying 210 as
listed in the manifest. If there were passengers without tickets,
the number could not be more than two dozens, he said.

Yet police investigation, which include questioning over 60
people including officials and survivors, established that the
number of passengers ranged between 300 and 400. The Aceh
administration is still investigating the exact number of people
on board.

An earlier report said police investigation found that the
ship was leaky when it set sail and had only been plugged by
cement. The ship's captain had refused to sail the ferry, but
agreed reluctantly after his superiors threatened to sack him
from his job. (emb)