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By APD writer Maverick
**JAKARTA, July 26 (APD) ** – Indonesia joint searchers continued the efforts on Wednesday to find 4 missing passengers of the capsized boat off North Kalimantan province’s Tarakan city port after recovered 10 bodies and evacuates 41 passengers and crews survived from the mishap.
The search over the missing ones was facilitated by Indonesian navy base in the city by engaging five patrol boats assigned to comb waters around the Tengkayu port where the ill-fated boat capsized on Tuesday.
“We would deploy boats and ambulances to transport the bodies and coordinate the search efforts with Tarakan Search and Rescue (SAR) agency,” Tarakan Navy Base Spokesperson Ali Siwasiwan said.
The navy also deployed divers to find bodies of the missing ones which were possibly stranded in corals or entangled by seaweeds under the sea around the port, he added.
The boat, Rezeki
Baru Kharisma, capsized shortly after departed from Tengkayu port.
Witnesses said that the boat, which brought 55 passengers and crews onboard, was seen of making maneuvers before tuned upside down.
Cited to testimonies of passengers survived from the mishap, a SAR official Mujiono said skipper of the boat likely tried to avoid something in front of the boat by conducted zig-zag maneuvers.
Mujiono, who heads East Kalimantan provincial SAR agency, predicted that the skipper could be tried to avoid a collision with wooden log which commonly drifted in the Tarakan Sea.
“The weather and waves were in good conditions, would not make the boat in difficulties to sail in the sea,” Mujiono said.
He added that the boat was in its route was in its service to transport passengers to Tanjung Selor, a city in North Kalimantan province.
The operation to evacuate passengers and crews as well as recovering bodies found from the capsized boat was jointly conducted by SAR, navy, police, Tarakan port administrator and volunteers.
Investigation into the mishap was now underway, carried out by Tarakan police against the boat crews, including the driver.
Police looked into safety negligence allegation committed by the boat crews that led up to the deadly sea accident.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
