A preliminary police investigation found that the latest mishap in transportation, involving a ship that capsized off Badung Strait in Bali, was allegedly caused by human error.
The Wednesday sea accident left nine passengers dead and two others missing, said rescuers and officials.
The Bali Police said Thursday the ill-fated Putra Romo ship, which carried 27 people, was overloaded with both cargo and passengers.
It was also carrying rice, sand and cement, and more people than its manifest recorded, they added.
Bali Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Gde Sugianyar disclosed that both the ship's captain and the harbor master had allegedly made several mistakes that had placed the ship and its passengers in peril.
"The ship wasn't equipped with on-board safety and emergency equipment, the number of actual passengers was higher than the number listed in the manifest, and the ship was loaded with both cargo and passengers.
"All those factors violate maritime law," he told reporters in Denpasar, Bali.
The ship's manifest showed that it carried only 23 passengers, four less than the number of actual passengers.
The ship was also loaded with 10 tons of rice, ten cubic meters of construction-grade sand and 50 packages of ceramics.
Kadek Geria, the ship's captain, is currently being questioned at the maritime council in Benoa Harbor, Denpasar.
Most of the casualties from the ship were the residents of Nusa Penida Island. The ship was plying the Klungkung-Nusa Penida route.
As of Thursday afternoon, the surviving passengers were still being treated at Klungkung's regional hospital, while the search and rescue team was still looking for those missing.
Missing passengers were identified as 50-year-old Ketut Satu, and Made Payur, 47, both Nusa Penida's residents.
Team chief Ketut Parwa confirmed two passengers were still missing.
"Their families informed us they *I Wayan and Wayan Satu* boarded the ship," Ketut told state news agency Antara.
He added no one knew as of yet the exact number of passengers that had boarded the ship.
"But we think 26 passengers and two crew were on board the ship. Nine have died while 17 others were rescued and brought to Klungkung Hospital," he said.
The ship is believed to have sailed from the Tri Bhuana harbor at Kusamba beach, Klungkung, sometimes after noon.
At around 2:30 p.m. local time, a series of tall waves struck the ship.
"The ship was about two miles from the harbor at that time. The waves were up to three meters high," search and rescue field coordinator Fathur Rahman said.
The powerful waves were too strong for the ship and the Putra Romo soon surrendered to the fierce ocean.
The team comprised 30 personnel from the Navy, sea police and local fishermen.
"We haven't found them yet but we will continue our operation. Our official protocol is to search for seven days after the time of the accident," Fathur said.
Ketut Satu's nephew, Ketut Astawa, said he hoped the team would manage to find his uncle.
"I found out about the accident on Wednesday evening and I immediately rushed to Klungkung," he said, adding the family was ready to face the worst scenario.
