Seventeen missing boat passengers found

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

Seventeen people, including two boys, feared dead after their boat capsized in rough seas in Salura Island waters in East Sumba regency on Tuesday were found alive Friday.

East Sumba Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Arief Yuliman Susetyono said the Terlanjur Sayang motorized boat was found floating at 8 a.m. in waters near Tarimbang village.

The boat went missing Tuesday after leaving Katundu harbor on its way to Salura Island and was later found by residents from nearby Waningki Island.

"They all have been evacuated to safety," Arief said.

"They had been floating for almost three days."

The 16 passengers and the boat's captain were taken to Katundu harbor. They arrived at 4 p.m. and were taken to Waingapu for medical attention.

An official in East Sumba, Marthen Kilimandu, said Friday the boat had 17 people on board, not 11 as earlier reported.

The passengers included two boys, four-year-old Mertho and six-year-old Sahidin.

Search and rescue operations had been conducted since Tuesday and had involved the navy, fishermen and officials.

The navy's operational assistant in Kupang base, Col. Iswan Sutiswan, said the warship KRI Katon had also been deployed to help the search operation.

"It happened that KRI Katon was patrolling the waters around Flores Island and could be deployed to the accident location to help the search," Iswan said.

Head of El Tari Meteorology and Geophysics Agency in Kupang, Alberth Kusbagio, said waves were still three to five meters high around East Nusa Tenggara waters.

"We've called offices with the authority to issue sailing permits to take into account the high waves before issuing such permits," he said.

All state-run river, lake and ferry transportation services, managed by PT ASDP in Kupang, had temporarily ceased to several islands, including Alor, Flores, Lembata, Rote and Sumba.

PT ASDP's operational manager, Daryoto, said Friday the company had decided to temporarily stop ships from sailing the routes due to unfriendly waters.