The Jakarta Post, October 02, 2006
Boat with 18 on board missing
AMBON, Maluku: A fishing boat with up to 21 people on board is missing on the
Banda Sea, Tumorang Hutasoit, head of the Ambon port office, said Sunday.
"The boat has not been found" after being due back in port Friday, Hutasoit said. The
last communication with the fishermen was on Monday, the last time the 30 gross ton
ship was seen by other vessels in the area, he said. One source said the Lai-Lai 01
ship carried one captain and 17 crew members, while another said there were up to
21 people aboard, Hutasoit said. The ship, owned by the PT Beta Karya Samudera
fishing company, left Tulehu port in Central Maluku regency on Sept. 24 to Saparua
Island to load bait before heading for the Banda Sea. "The ship is believed to have
gone missing around the Tujuh Island area, about 130 kilometers to the south of Buru
Island," Hutasoit said.
Before being declared missing, the ill-fated boat was spotted on Monday by crew
members of sister ship the Lai-Lai 03.
Lai-Lai 03 captain Josef said when the boats separated the condition of the boat and
seas were normal. He the two boats would normally communicate if catches were
good or when they were ready to return to port. "Usually we berth up to three times a
week, depending on the quantity of the catches," he said. Port management have
asked the local police to lend the office a helicopter for the search effort because the
one owned by the Pattimura Military District Command is out of order.
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