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Those responsible for Zahro Express incident should be charged: Civil society group
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Grief: A family member of a passenger onboard the Zahro Express ferry, which exploded in waters off North Jakarta, on Jan. 1, shows a picture of her loved one who remains missing. (Antara/Wahyu Putro A.)
T
he government must criminally charge those responsible for the Zahro Express ferry explosion off the North Jakarta coast that killed 23 passengers instead of just imposing administrative sanctions, a civil society group says.
Grouped under the Civil Society Alliance for Great Indonesia, its members said there was indication laws had been violated in the incident, which required further investigation by law enforcers.
Citing an example, the group’s lawyer, Dian AR, said in a statement on Tuesday there was a difference in the number of passengers recorded on its passenger list and those onboard. She said this was potentially fraud where certain individuals might have been looking to benefit from allowing the vessel to exceed its capacity.
“This is really a criminal act,” Dian said. “Criminal charges should be imposed on all parties, including the port master, the boat’s captain and its owner.”
The group further said the incident might be just the tip of the iceberg of the country’s sea transportation problems.
Departing Muara Angke Port on Sunday morning, the Zahro Express caught fire on its way to Tidung Island, Thousand Islands regency. Carrying 184 passengers, 130 survived the incident, while 17 others sustained injuries. Meanwhile, 17 reportedly remain missing.
Following the incident, the Transportation Ministry fired Muara Angke port master Deddy Junaedy and sent a warning letter to the vessel’s owner. Deddy was dismissed for negligence.
So far, Jakarta Police have only named suspect boat captain Mohammad Nali for operating the ferry despite its unseaworthy condition. He was charged with violating Article 302 of Law No. 17/2008 on sea transportation, carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident. (ebf)
