REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The MV Sinar Bangun passenger ship that sank in the waters of Lake Toba, North Sumatra Province, on Monday was allegedly carrying passengers beyond its loading capacity. However, manifest data had yet to be submitted to the Ministry of Transportation.
"I do not say directly that the ill-fated ship was overcrowded with passengers, but it is a possibility, as it is marked by the absence of manifest data and the issuance of a license to sail or SIB," Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi pointed out at a press conference at his office, Wednesday.
Sumadi explained that MV Sinar Bangun was operating legally. It had received permission from the North Sumatra Transportation Office, but its operation could have become illegal if the related implementing unit did not possess a manifest and SIB.
Furthermore, the transportation minister stated that results of the investigation related to the cause of the accident of MV Sinar Bangun had been submitted to the National Transportation Safety Committee.
Hotna Saragih (38), a survivor of MV Sinar Bangun accident cries when visiting Lake Toba. She was about to sow the flowers to the lake in Tigaras Port, Simalungun, North Sumatra, Thursday (June 21).
Earlier, Head of North Sumatra Disaster Management Office (BPBD), Riyadil Akhir Lubis, stated that the joint team continues to track the location of passengers and the sunken wooden ship. "The coordinates of the ship's existence have been found," he added.
Although the joint team has found the coordinates of the sunken ship, it has not yet found the shipwreck. In the near future, the joint team will deploy a special team, including marine troops that will dive in the waters of the coordinate.
The marine troops tracked down KM Sinar Bangun's position using special equipment to detect metals at the bottom of the waters.
Joint team personnels carry a body bag of KM Sinar Bangun's victim drowned in Lake Toba, Tigaras Port, Simalungun, North Sumatra, Wednesday (June 20).
KM Sinar Bangun reportedly capsized in the waters of Lake Toba, between Simanindo sub-district in Samosir district and Tigaras village, Dolok Pardamean sub-district, Simalungun district, North Sumatra province, on Monday at around 05:30 p.m. local time. The joint team has found 19 survivors and three victims after the search process.
Meanwhile, the captain of KM Sinar Bangun survived the incident. He has been secured by the police.
The latest development revealed that the boat carried 206 people while its capacity was only 43 passengers. The captain of KM Sinar Bangun also ignored weather warning issued twice by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
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