Crew members of Indonesia's fishing vessel KM Bandar Nelayan 188 that survived a sea accident in the waters west of Perth in Western Australia on May 13, 2021, had arrived at Benoa Port in Bali.
"This is testament to our navy's good cooperation with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in conducting humanitarian diplomacy," Indonesian Foreign Ministry's Citizen Protection Director, Judha Nugraha, notified journalists at Benoa Port on Friday.
KM Bandar Nelayan 188, carrying 20 sailors, departed from the Indonesian island of Bali's Benoa Port on April 8, 2021, for a fishing ground, but the fishing vessel's engine room reportedly got submerged in the sea waters on May 13 at the coordinates of 31° 10.70' S 102° 16.32' E.
The ill-fated fishing ship was detected some 1,520 nautical miles away from Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas)-Bali Office, or some 697 nautical miles away from Perth in Western Australia.
The owner of KM Bandar Nelayan 188 reported its ship's emergency condition on May 13, but owing to its closer distance from Perth, he decided to coordinate with Australia's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), Head of Basarnas-Bali Office Gede Darmada explained.
Shortly thereafter, the JRCC authorities sent emergency messages to nearby vessels and deployed an aircraft to confirm the position of KM Bandar Nelayan 188 and its crew on board, he revealed.
After finding the ill-fated fishing ship, the Australian authorities dropped two inflatable boats to rescue the sailors.
On May 15 at about 7:00 a.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB), Australia's JRCC authorities were informed by the Japanese authorities that FV Fukuseki Maru 15 had rescued the 20 Indonesian sailors and had transferred them to HMAS Anzac, Darmada remarked.
The Australian navy ship then carried them to Perth before repatriating 19 of the 20 sailors to Indonesia's navy ship KRI Escolar on Friday. The other seafarer, who suffered from a finger injury, was flown to Jakarta for hospitalization, he stated.
Several fatal accidents at sea and other water bodies have continued to challenge Indonesia's reputation in transportation safety.
On June 18, 2018, for instance, Indonesia had borne witness to a deadly incident involving MV "Sinar Bangun," reportedly carrying 202 passengers onboard, that had met its watery grave at the bottom of Lake Toba in North Sumatra Province.
Consequently, three passengers lost their lives, while 164 others had gone missing. Only 21 survived the tragedy.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Ayu KP, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
