Several vessels partook in the search and rescue mission, Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas)-Ternate Office Muhammad Arafah stated.
The ships, including those of the Indonesian Maritime Security Board (Bakamla) and the local police's marine unit, focused their search efforts for Dedi Hidayat, 43, in certain areas.
The targeted areas are the northern coastline of Waisum Village and the sea waters near the site of the sea accident that covers almost 80 nautical miles, Arafah remarked.
In the meantime, officers of the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) have arrived in Sanana, the capital of Sula Islands District, to commence the probe into the sea accident.
KM Karya Indah got engulfed in fire some five miles northeast of Lifamatola Island in Sula Islands District while heading to the remote port of Sasana from Ternate Port.
According to its passenger manifest, KM Karya Indah was carrying 181 passengers and 14 crew members, while Basarnas found 283 people aboard the ill-fated ferry.
Apart from this difference, Ternate Port Authority Head Affan Tabona insisted that he remains consistent with what the passenger manifest had revealed.
The passenger manifest was provided by the ferry's skipper before the port authority issued a sailing permit. "We have also reported this to the director general," he remarked.
The Basarnas-Ternate Office disclosed earlier that KM Karya Indah had onboard 283 people based on data collected by rescuers.
Of the total number, 282 survived the sea accident, while one passenger, Dedi Hidayat, 43, reportedly went missing, he revealed.
Several fatal accidents at sea and other water bodies have continued to challenge Indonesia's reputation in transportation safety.
On May 13, 2021, Indonesia's fishing vessel KM Bandar Nelayan 188, carrying aboard 20 sailors, met with a sea accident.
The vessel departed from the Indonesian island of Bali's Benoa Port on April 8, 2021, for a fishing ground, but its 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.
One of Indonesia's worst sea accidents occurred on June 18, 2018, involving MV "Sinar Bangun". The ship, reportedly carrying 202 passengers onboard, 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: A.Fatah, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
