The ship wreck is lying at a depth of 20-25 meters in Mandeh Bay.Padang, W Sumatra (ANTARA News) - West Sumatras South Pesisir district offers a world-class diving site formed as a result of a ship wreck of MV Boelongan Nederland, which was bombed by Japan in 1942.
"The ship wreck is lying at a depth of 20-25 meters in Mandeh Bay," Nasrul Abit, the head of South Pesisir district, stated here on Monday.
According to him, the Ministry of Marine and Fishery along with the Marine and Fishery office of South Pesisir have explored the ship wreck.
"We believe that this is one of the best diving sites in Indonesia and even in the world," Nasrul stated.
He remarked that the Boelongan ship wreck is located in Mandeh tourism site, which was included in the national tourism development master plan.
The tourism site spans an area of 8.6 thousand hectares.
Based on the study conducted the ministry, MV Boelongan Nederland measures 74 meters in length and 8 meters in height. The middle part is 11 meters wide, while the stern measures 13 meters, and the bow is 10 meters.
The height of the ship has not been precisely measured as part of its body is buried.
However, the identified sizes are identical to several references.
MV Boelongan was designed in 1915 as a diesel-powered transport ship measuring 72.6 meters in length.
In addition to being used as a transport ship, Boelongan was frequently used by the Dutch colonial officials while visiting the Bulungan Sultanate in East Kalimantan.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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