Teratai Ferry Sinks in Sea of Majene

TEMPO Interactive, Makassar:Teratai Prima boat, which carried 250 passengers, yesterday sank in the Baturoro waters off the Majene shore, in West Sulawesi.

Up until last night, only 18 survivors were found by fishermen in Tangaya, Majene. The fate of the other passengers remains unknown.

"Survivors reported that the boat sank around 04.00 Central Indonesian Time in Baturoro waters," Majene Police Resort Chief, Commissioner Suyatmo told Tempo yesterday.

Suyatmo said he received the report at 15.00 Central Indonesian Time. The Teratai boat left Pare-Pare in South Sulawesi, last Saturday at 19.30 Central Indonesian Time and was scheduled to dock in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, today at 10.00 Central Indonesian Time.

Pare-pare Port Administrator chief Nurwahida said he received signals from Teratai boat at around 02.00 Central Indonesian Time, reporting that the boat was being hit by a tornado.

According to Pare-pare Port's Maritime Telecommunication Section head, Taufik, the passenger boat weighed 747 gross tons, was steered by Captain Sabiri and 17 of his crew ship. The boat arrived in Pare-pare from Samarinda, last Thursday, and returned to Samarinda on the following Saturday.

Ahmad, a crew member who survived reported to Majene port at around 16.00 Central Indonesian Time. Ahmad, who worked as the cook, said the boat collapsed when it was hit by a 1 – 2 meter high wave in Baturoro waters, around 50 kilometers from the Majene Beach. He said he and his three friends were saved by the fishermen.

In Samarinda Port, until 20.00 Central Indonesian Time, 13 families of the passengers reported to the Port Security Unit. Salma, 40, said she lost her nine children and grand-children, among them Suryanti, 19 and Rekoba, 1. "My children and grand-children took the boat from Pare-pare," she said.

Meanwhile, Mila, 21, said her sister-in-law Farida, 35, Rizal, 28, and Nurlela sailed on the boat after attending a relative's wedding in Pare-pare.

Transportation Department's spokesman, Bambang S. Ervan, said a number of boats, including a navigator boat, were deployed to help in the search and evacuation. However, he said the number of victims and the boat's position have not been confirmed. "Eighteen survivors were found," he said.

Some of the survivors are currently in Majene Port, while others are being evacuated. According to the latest information, the Teratai Prima was a cargo and a passenger boat. The boat did not sink, but collapsed when a wave hit it.