Search Continues for Crew of Cargo Ship Believed Sunk in Central Sulawesi

Search Continues for Crew of Cargo Ship Believed Sunk in Central Sulawesi
TELLY NATHALIA JUNE 06, 2019 https://jakartaglobe.id/context/search-continues-for-crew-of-cargo-ship-...

Jakarta. The Ministry of Transportation has deployed patrol boats in search of 17 missing crewmembers of the cargo ship KM Lintas Timur, which is believed to have sunk in the Banggai Sea off Central Sulawesi on Saturday, an official said on Wednesday.

The vessel was on its way from Bitung Port in North Sulawesi to Morowali in Central Sulawesi at the time of the incident.

"We suspect the cargo ship KM Lintas Timur sank in rough seas that occurred in the area in recent days. One crewmember was found in the waters off Bangkep near Buko subdistrict," Ahmad, director of the Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard (KPLP) in Luwuk, Central Sulawesi, said in a statement issued by the ministry.

The ship departed from Bitung Port on May 28 with 3,000 sacks of cement on board.

The survivor was rescued by a passing ship, NV Nurbayaksar, and taken to a medical facility in Luwuk.

Ahmad said the authorities had issued a warning to all shipping operators about the possibility of rough seas off Bangkep, Batui-Toili and Morowali in June and July, based on forecasts by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

"Search and rescue teams continue to look for the missing crewmembers. We hope they can be found soon," Ahmad said.