Fadli and Rizal Harahap, The Jakarta Post, Batam, Pekanbaru | Tue, 11/24/2009 12:57 PM
The search-and-rescue mission for passengers on the KM Dumai Express 10 ferry, which sank off Riau Islands province resumed Monday and will continue for a week, says the Riau Islands chapter National Search and Rescue Agency.
"The naval ships in Riau Islands will be involved in the search for missing victims," said Navy Col. Herbambang Subagio, the head of the Tanjung Pinang SAR Agency, also covering Riau Islands.
Herbambang said a number of vessels from the Water Police Directorate, Customs and Excise and fishing boats would also be involved in search and evacuation efforts.
The latest data showed that there are 254 survivors and 27 dead, while the number of missing passengers was yet to be confirmed because the number of passengers had exceeded that on the ship's manifest of 213 passengers.
Some members of the National Commission for Transportation Safety (KNKT) have started investigating the ship Dumai Ekspress 10, which sank in the Tokong Hiu waters, Riau islands, on Sunday.
The KNKT spokesperson J. A. Barata said Monday that the team would find out the cause and chronology of the accident.
"We will examine all factors possibly contributing to the cause of the incident, such as weather and overloading of passengers," Barata told Antara state news agency.
He added the KNKT was expected to complete the preliminary report on the accident within one year.
The KN Trisula state ship, owned by the Transportation Ministry, which oversees the three-member investigative team from the KNKT, has arrived in Riau Islands to investigate the accident.
The port administrations in a number of ports in Batam have banned ferries from traveling from Batam to Bintan and Karimun on Monday.
Riau Islands Transportation Office head Naharuddin said his office had temporarily stopped issuing sailing permits for ferries in the province due to bad weather.
"The ports in Batam, Bintan and Karimun have currently suspended ferry services temporarily," Naharuddin said.
Meanwhile, state insurance company PT Jasa Raharja has ensured that all victims of the Dumai Express 10 Ferry who had drowned in the Tokong Hiu waters in Karimun regency, during the journey from Batam to Dumai would be compensated.
Pekanbaru branch Jasa Raharja manager Lukman Hakim said victims would not only be compensated based on the ship's manifest but also according to the number of victims found.
"The manifest is still our main guidance, but if it turns out that victims that we find were not registered, they will still get the same rights as those with tickets," Lukman said Monday.
