5 soldiers named suspects over Trenggalek boat accident

The police have named five soldiers and a civil servant as suspects in last year’s immigrant boat accident in the waters off Trenggalek regency, East Java.

“These men were carrying on duties at the Tulungagung sub-district military command on daily basis. They are named as suspects because they were allegedly helping the illegal immigrants get to Australia,” National Police spokesman Saud Usman Nasution said in Jakarta on Wednesday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

The suspects were identified as K, K, S, M, IAS and BS.

He added that the soldiers have been transferred to the Tulungagung Military Police Detachment’s detention center on Wednesday for further questioning.

A boat carrying 215 passengers from several countries in the Middle East capsized in Trenggalek waters on Dec. 17, killing more than 100 people. The boat was reportedly heading for Australia.

Earlier, the East Java police arrested four suspects, including the boat’s owners and crewmen.(swd/dic)