Two more bodies found from boat accident

Two more bodies found from boat accident

JAKARTA (JP): The bodies of two young children were found on
Tuesday morning as the search continued for survivors of PLM Oleo
Putra II which sank in waters off Jailolo in North Maluku on
Sunday morning.

"The two bodies were found floating in waters near Dupa-Dupa
beach in the Ternate Islands. Both were small children," North
Maluku Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Zulkarnain told The Jakarta
Post from Ternate in North Maluku.

So far 22 bodies have been found, while 54 people survived the
tragedy which was caused by the yacht smashing into rocks in
rough seas early on Sunday morning.

"We are still looking for nine more victims after receiving
reports from families claiming that relatives were on board," the
officer said.

"Theoretically, a person has a chance of surviving one week in
the sea, so we'll keep on looking," he said.

The exact number of those on aboard remains unknown. The
official log of the PLM Oleo Putra II only accounted for 30
passengers and 10 crew.

It is believed that as many as 100 may have been on board.

Zulkarnain stressed that "this accident would not have
happened if local port officials had not let the ship sail during
such bad weather on Sunday."

He urged ship crews to be careful when sailing, paying more
attention to the weather and the ship's cargo during high seas
over the next few months.

"Port officials must be more responsive to this as we do not
have sufficient resources to cope when a boating accident takes
place. We do not even have a boat to reach the site of the
accident," he said.

The wooden-hulled ship is believed to have been mainly
carrying refugees from the strife-torn area, along with 25 tons
of cargo including foodstuffs and plywood, from Bastiong port in
the west of North Maluku to the Galela district of Halmahera
Island in the east.

The traditional style 92-ton boat was not licensed to carry
passengers. (edt)