Hotli Simanjuntak & Andi Hajramurni, THE JAKARTA POST, BANDA ACEH, MAJENE | Fri, 01/16/2009 5:38 PM
Another boat sank in Aceh on Wednesday as rescue workers found bodies from two separate accidents, in Majene and Asmat, on Thursday.
Twenty people were declared missing and one was killed when a boat carrying illegal migrant workers from Penang, Malaysia, sunk in waters off the coast of Peureulak, East Aceh at about 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The boat was carrying about 45 people when it left Penang on Sunday but two hours before reaching Aceh the engine broke.
"While boat crews were trying to fix the engine, a huge wave smashed the boat, causing it to sink slowly," survivor Bukhari said Thursday.
Just 16 passengers were rescued by a fishing boat, that happened to be passing the area.
Bukhari said that 13 of the illegal migrant workers were from Jakarta.
The East Aceh Police's water division found the body of a female and are continuing to look for missing passengers, Adj. First Insp. Zainir said.
The Malacca Strait, which separates Sumatra from the Malaysian Peninsula, is a busy waterway and is often used by Indonesian's attempting to migrate to Malaysia to work illegally. The boats they use are often unseaworthy.
The eastern coast of Aceh is a favourite point of departure because of a lack of security.
Meanwhile, in Barru regency, South Sulawesi, rescue workers found four bodies from the KM Teratai Prima passenger ship in waters around the Laboso Cape.
The SAR team on board the KRI Untung Suropati warship, which was assisting in the search, found two bodies at about 1 p.m. local time (noon Jakarta time) and another two at 2:50 p.m. local time. The bodies were taken to Pare-pare, South Sulawesi, for identification.
So, far, 40 passengers from the accident - which took place on Sunday off the coast of Majene, West Sulawesi - have been accounted for: 34 survivors and six fatalities.
KRI Untung Suropati's skipper, Maj. Yulianus Poek said an adult male, two adult females and a child whose gender could not be determined were found dead in the water.
All four bodies, found in damaged condition, were spotted approximately 10 miles west of Tanjung Laboso, or some 60 miles south of where the boat sank.
Yulianus said his ship was combing southward, following the current of the sea.
Bad weather continued to hamper efforts as extreme weather changes forced the search to be called off.
SAR mission coordinator, Col. Jaka Susanto, who is also intelligence assitant to the chief of the Makassar Main Naval Base, said weather was fine on Thursday, which allowed for eight ships and two rubber boats to be deployed.
Five aircraft were also utilized in the search, including an Air Force jet, two Boeing 737-200s, a Navy airplane as well as a helicopter.
Local fishermen and vessels passing through the area also made an effort to find survivors.
Meanwhile in Asmat, Papua, the body of one of three missing doctors was found by a joint team of military, police and Asmat transportation agency officers was found.
Rescue workers found the body of Wendiansyah Sitompul, an obstetrician, at about 12:30 p.m. local time (10:30 a.m. Jakarta time).
"The body was found floating in the Aswet River around Peeh village," Asmat Police Chief Musa Korwa said.
The three doctors were part of a 19-member medical team which was travelling aboard the KM Risma Jaya, between Timika and Agats on Tuesday, when it capsized in waters off the coast of Asmat. The boat was also carrying eight crew members.
Korwa said that the two doctors still missing were Boyke Mowoka and Hendi Prakoso.
Nethy Dharma Somba and Markus Makur contributed to the story from Jayapura and Timika respectively.
