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10 still missing after ship collision off South Sulawesi
At least 10 people are still missing after two cargo ships collided in the Selayar Strait, 40 kilometers west of Selayar Island in South Sulawesi early Wednesday morning
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t least 10 people are still missing after two cargo ships collided in the Selayar Strait, 40 kilometers west of Selayar Island in South Sulawesi early Wednesday morning.
Eleven people, including a one-year-old girl, were recovered after the KM Trisal Pratama, which left provincial capital Makassar on Tuesday on its way to Flores in East Nusa Tenggara, collided with KM Indimatam, which was heading to Makassar from Serui, Papua.
The Trisal, which was carrying 2,000 tons of cement, sank quickly. Eleven of those on board
were pulled from the water by three passing ships and rushed back to Makassar.
The Indimatam, which was carrying scrap metal and 14 passengers and crew managed to stay afloat.
The Trisal’s survivors, several of whom suffered light injuries, said they were tired and traumatized after treading water for over an hour in the open sea.
Those aboard the Trisal were sleeping at the time of the collision, which caused the vessel to start sinking almost immediately.
Head of Trisal ship’s workers, Abdul Muin, said he was woken by a strong shudder and immediately began to evacuate the ship.
“I tried to lower the life boat but its remote was not working. I looked around for my wife but could not find her, so I jumped into the sea without a life jacket. Everything happened so fast,” said the 59-year-old, whose wife, Suriati, is still missing.
Abdul said he survived by holding on to a floating container.
A baby girl, one-year-old Fadilah, was rescued by the ship’s helmsman, Debi, who was entrusted by the baby’s mother Rosida before also jumping into the sea without a life jacket.
“I never let go of her while I trod water. I don’t know how long we were swimming before being rescued,” he said.
The exact number of missing passengers and crew remains unclear.
According to the chief of Makassar seaport, Afrianus Tapangan, there were 18 crew aboard the Trisal, of which 10 have been accounted for, while the eight others and two passengers were still missing.
Meanwhile, information from the Search and Rescue Agency cited the ship had 20 crew and three
passengers.
“We based on our search on the list of 18 crew, 10 of whom are recovered. It means we’re still looking for eight more,” Afrianus said, adding that the reason behind the accident had not yet been established.
Among the missing victims are the Fadilah’s parents, Rosida and Syarifuddin Nasaru, and her three-year-old brother, Alan. The ship’s captain, Umbari, also remains unaccounted for.
Boat accidents have killed hundreds of people in recent years across the country. Statistics recorded there were 698 boat accidents last year, claiming 927 lives.
