Two killed as minibus skids in East Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Two men, one found hugging his young son to protect him, were killed when a public minibus driver failed to control his speeding vehicle on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan in East Jakarta Saturday morning.

George Talahatu, 30, a passenger on the T-512 Kowanbisata minibus, and Ivan Elington, 27, the conductor, were reportedly squashed in the bus, which was turned upside down and badly damaged.

While the other passengers were escaping from the vehicle shortly after the accident, the driver of the minibus plying Pulogadung-Ciputat took the chance to escape.

Police are still tracing him.

George died instantly at the scene and Ivan was rushed to the nearby Jakarta Islamic Hospital on Jl. Cempaka Putih Tengah in a critical condition. He passed away a few hours later.

Their bodies were later sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital for postmortem examinations.

According to Hengky, an eyewitness, the minibus, heading from the Pulogadung terminal in East Jakarta to Ciputat in South Jakarta, was speeding when it skidded and hit the street median.

"About 20 meters before the minibus hit the median, the driver apparently tried to apply the brakes. But he failed to stop the vehicle as the street was very slippery due to the rain that had fallen since morning," he said.

"We found George and Ivan's bodies inside the vehicle. George was still embracing his son, who is alive," he said.

George's wife, Maryatin, a housemaid aged 28, managed to get out safely.

She suffered light injuries to her left arm while her son, Gabriel, four, hurt his head, left arm and fingers.

Maryatin, who arrived at Cipto in the afternoon to collect her husband's body, appeared shocked and could only stumble out a few words to reporters.

She said that they had just arrived from a visit to her grandmother at Trenggalek in East Java and were taking the Kowanbisata minibus to return to her employer's residence on Jl. Bintaro Sektor IX in Tangerang.

"The minibus was packed. The driver was speeding as the street was calm," Maryatin, who sat near one of the minibus' window, said.

She refused to discuss whether she would sue the company.

Maryatin said that she and George had been married for five years.

George had worked as the driver of a lecturer at Trisakti University.

His body will be buried in his hometown of Ambon, Maluku, at his employer's expense, she said.

Ivan's aunt and weeping sister also went to Cipto to collect his body.

His aunt, Aritonang, who was able to speak to Ivan shortly before he died, said that Ivan had quickly lost hope that he would recover.

"The left side of his body, including his head, arms and legs were totally fractured. When we met, he told me 'Namboru (auntie), my life is no longer meaningful in my current condition'," she said.

She said that Ivan, who had lived with her on Jl. Kalibaru Timur in Kemayoran, died before doctors began surgery on his head.

She said Ivan, who was single, had worked as a conductor for the Kowanbisata company for four years.

"I hope the company will take care of his medical fees and his burial," she said.

Aritonang said that Ivan would be buried in his hometown of Kotacane in Sumatra. (ivy)