On the sidelines of a victim search in Tigas Port, Simalungun District, on Tuesday, Simalungun District Head J. R. Saragih noted that the total victim count was based on the matching of the data of passengers with that of the joint team.
KM Sinar Bangun was believed to have aboard 188 passengers. A total of 21 people were rescued, three were killed, and 164 others were estimated missing.
The wooden ship, carrying more than a hundred passengers, had reportedly sank in the waters of Lake Toba between Simanindo Sub-district in Samosir District and Tigaras Village in Dolok Pardamean Sub-district, Simalungun District, North Sumatra Province, on Monday at 5:30 p.m. local time.
Meanwhile, Saragih has urged the families of the victims to open a bank account on Thursday. Such accounts were deemed necessary to facilitate the process of providing assistance to the heirs of the victims.
On Thursday, the Simalungun district government will also send a letter to the Ministry of Social Affairs seeking directions on the provision of assistance.
"This is to confirm whether the assistance will be offered in psychical form or through transfer," he remarked.
He revealed that the joint search and rescue team had conducted a comprehensive search for the victims and the shipwreck, including by deploying three helicopters belonging to the National Search and Rescue Agency or Basarnas, North Sumatra Police, and PT Jafpa.
Moreover, the joint team brought along representatives of the victims` families to witness first-hand the search process and observe the conditions of the waters of Lake Toba.
Reported by Irwan Arfa
M052/INE
(T.M052/A/KR-BSR/A014)
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
