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Ferry survivor recalls harrowing hour in Lake Toba
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People flock to Tigaras Port in Simalungun, North Sumatra, after a vessel carrying around 180 passengers capsized on Lake Toba on Monday.
(Via pekanbaru.tribunnews.com/Istimewa)
R
iko Sahputra, one of the survivors of the boat accident on Lake Toba, recounted that everything was fine when the Sinar Bangun ferry departed at 5 p.m. from Simanindo Port to Tigaras, Simalungun, North Sumatra, on Monday afternoon.
Riko said the vessel was crowded with tourists. It was also transporting dozens of motorbikes.
“When we were about a kilometer from our destination, the wind suddenly started blowing very hard, followed by big waves," he was quoted by kompas.com as saying while being treated at Simarmata public health clinic in Samosir.
"The vessel tilted to the right before it overturned due to the weight of the motorcycles," Riko said, adding that many passengers panicked and jumped into the water.
“We floated in the water for an hour before we were rescued."
As of Wednesday afternoon, a search and rescue team rescued 20 people and retrieved two bodies. The team is still looking for at least 165 others who are reportedly still missing. (foy/dmr)
