The Peninsula, 3/18/2007 8:16:29
Six rescued after 16 days at sea off Indonesia
Source ::: AFP
AMBON, Indonesia • Six missing medical workers have been found alive after
spending more than two weeks drifting in Indonesian waters in their speedboat, an
official said yesterday. The health officials had left Saumlaki town on eastern
Tanimbar island on February 27 to deliver medicine, milk and baby food to the remote
town of Kormomolin about two hours away by speedboat.
The six were found floating on Wednesday in the Arafura Sea by fishermen about
1,200km from where they originally set off, officials said.
They were all reportedly in good health although in a weakened condition after their
16-day ordeal.
It is not clear what happened to their boat that caused them to drift so far. Good
weather had been reported when they left, with no strong winds and calm seas. The
fishermen dropped the six, who had survived on baby food and by collecting and
drinking rain water, on the island of Dobo on Friday night, provincial secretary Said
Assagaff said on ElShinta radio.
"Doctor Juliana Carolus and friends who were missing since February 28 were found
alive," ministry of health official Rustam Pakaya said without explaining the
discrepancy in the date.
A charter plane took them to the provincial capital of Ambon where an ambulance was
on standby to take them to hospital for a checkup.
They were greeted at Ambon airport by Assegaf, the governor of Maluku province and
other officials yesterday morning. They were not immediately available to talk to
reporters.
All six survivors were seen to disembark the plane unassisted. Maluku Governor Karel
Albert Ralahalu told reporters that he would reward the fishermen who had rescued
them. Separately, a training ship carrying 18 fishery students that had been floating
since Thursday was rescued by two navy patrol ships early yesterday. The ship's
propeller broke 200km west of Ambon.
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