VIVAnews - It has been five days since the Teratai Prima ferry capsized near the Majene waters, West Sulawesi. Investigation is being carried out to uncover possible negligence. Out of 250 passengers, only 41 have been found. Six have been reported dead while the other 25 survived. Hopes are thinning, but search and rescue operations continue.
The tragedy has caused grief for victims’ families, and various parties are being blamed. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday, January 14, that those who are responsible must be held accountable. “Don’t be soft to those who were negligent,” said the President, Central Jakarta, Jan. 14.
Terrible weather conditions, huge waves and typhoon have been cited as the main cause of the accident. However, according to the port’s administrator, the ferry’s captain had been warned about the weather at about 5.00pm Indonesian Central Time on Saturday, Jan. 10, but decided to go ahead anyway and departed two hours later, at 7.00pm.
The ship sank at about 3.00am on Sunday, Jan. 11, around the Baturoro waters, 50 kilometers from the Majene waters. It was carrying at least 250 passengers.
The police have questioned the captain of the ferry as well as taken statements from witnesses and survivors, but have yet to make a definite conclusion as to the actual cause of the accident. But there have been several speculations pointing at the captain.
“If preliminary investigation indicates that there is negligence on the captain’s part, we will definitely follow up on it,” said Abubakar Nataprawira, spokesperson of Indonesian National Police Headquarters, South Jakarta, Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Apparently the captain has had a few years under his belt. “According to information that I received, he has been a captain for 20 years,” said Minister of Transportation, Jusman Syafii Djamal, Jan. 14.
According to the explanation given to Djamal by the captain, he did not receive any warnings, and in fact did not see any indicators of bad weather during the journey. “Within 5 minutes, the ship was sucked into the sea,” said Djamal. According to statements from local inhabitants, the area where the tragedy occurred is prone to sudden change of weather.
However, President Yudhoyono refused to simply accept such answer. “How come the captain survived and the others didn’t?” said Djamal, citing the question posed by the President to him. In answering the question, Djamal said, that there is a tragic heroic story behind it.
A passenger by the name of Daim Gasim was on board the ferry with his child and in-law. When the ferry started sinking, Gasim instinctively saved them. However, upon seeing that the captain was in danger, he intuitively moved to save him. Tragically, while helping the captain, he lost his hold on his child.
When interviewed by VIVAnews today, Jan. 16, Djalil said that investigation into the cause of the accident is one of the two things that the government is focusing on. “To find the answer to Mr. President’s main question: why is it that despite a bad weather warning issued by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the port master still issued a permit to set sail, and the captain still decided to leave port,“ said Djalil to VIVAnews, Friday, Jan. 16.
Former Indonesian Shipowner Association, Oentoro Surya, echoed the query. “The owner and authorities should have been able to make the decision not to allow the departure. Why force it?” he said to VIVAnews over the phone, Friday, Jan. 16.
There is also alleged negligence in the passenger manifest. “From the Parepare and Majene Post Commands, there are 103 people who are not listed in the passenger manifest,” said Djamal, Wednesday, Jan. 14. The figure is obtained based on reports from people who claim that their family members were on the Teratai Prima and are now missing.
Based on the passenger manifest, there are 250 passengers excluding under-aged children. The maximum capacity for the ferry is 300. “There is a possibility that the names on the manifest is not the same as the ones given by the families,” said Djamal. In addition, the ferry was also carrying 200 tons of luggages.
As such, the police is also looking into this matter, in addition to possible negligence by the captain and port authorities. “The passenger capacity according to the manifest is 250 people. There is information that there are actually more passengers. This needs to be investigated,” said Inspector General Nataprawira, Friday, Wed. 14.
Even though it has been five days since the ferry capsized, Djalil said that search and rescue efforts are still a priority. “One (of the focus), is to continue search and rescue by deploying Navy ships, Air Force planes, and combing the islands and beaches by marines, police officers, volunteers, and fishermen,” said Djalil.
Previously, on Thursday, upon the instruction of the General Directorate of Sea Transportation, Sunaryo, the focus of search and rescue efforts were moved to the waters and coasts of Parepare, Barru and Pangkep, after his visit to the Majene Command Post and Parepare on Wednesday.
According to the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG), the wind was coming in from the north west and blowing towards south east. The same movement was observed with regard to water currents and sea waves. Therefore, victims may have been carried away by currents towards the southern waters of South Sulawesi.
Djamal had stated that all sea operators are urged to abide by the warnings issued by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). Yudhoyono insist that this instruction is spread and implemented in each region.
“The Minister of Transportation’s instruction is absolutely correct. Please pass on this message to the Minister of Domestic Affairs to be communicated to the governors to increase alertness in the transportation system in the region they are responsible for,” said Yudhoyono.
VIVAnews journalists Ismoko Widjaya, Desy Afrianti, Muhammad Hasits, Elin Yunita Kristanti, Mohammad Adam, Amril Amrullah, and Rahmat Zeena (Makassar) contributed to this article.
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