Two killed as taxi sinks

JAKARTA (JP): A taxi driver and his passenger were killed when their taxi plunged into the Marunda fishing port in Cilincing subdistrict, North Jakarta, early on Tuesday.

Tanjung Priok Port police identified the victims as Agus Buang, 34, a Prestasi taxi driver who lived in Kalibaru Barat, Cilincing, North Jakarta, and 56-year old Abdul Rojak, who lived on Jl Lorong II, Koja, also in North Jakarta.

A port police officer who asked for anonymity explained Agus had parked his taxi at the edge of the Marunda quay and was asleep, while awaiting his passenger Abdul Rojak at about 3:30 a.m.

When Abdul Rojak arrived to get into the taxi, Agus started the car and he depressed the accelerator pedal without stepping on the clutch beforehand, as he was still drowsy.

"As a result, the taxi jumped forward and plunged into the deep port," the officer told The Jakarta Post, adding that the taxi was raised from the water at 9 a.m.

When the taxi was raised, Agus was still behind the wheel, while Rojak was found floating some 100 meters away from the car.

Two of Agus' elder sisters Ntin Suprihatin and Suhartati, who went to see their brother body at the morgue of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital told the Post that Agus shared the taxi with one of his friends.

"Agus had long wanted to be a single taxi driver but God called him earlier," Suhartati said sadly. (01)