REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SIMALUNGUN -- The Search and Rescue Agency is utilizing a sonar scanning device to search for victims of Sinar Bangun Motor Vessel (MV) that sank in Lake Toba. The searching effort started on Sunday led by Head of Search and Rescue Agency M Syaugi and Head of Simalungun District JR Saragih.

The sonar scanning can be used to search for an object in a depth of 2,000 meters.

The Head of Medan SAR, Budiawan, said they also operated another sonar equipment that can search in the depth of 600 meters. "It is important to find the location of the vessel. We predict there are still victims inside the boat," Budiawan said.

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At least 184 persons are still missing after the Sinar Bangun MV sank on June 18. The SAR agency also operated Dauphin A 365 helicopter to assist the search and help the evacuation.

Several personnel also searched the victims in the coastal area. The SAR team also used 17 inflatable boats and speed boats to search for the victims within a radius of 40 kilometers.

MV Sinar Bangun capsized in Lake Toba, North Sumatra, at around 5 p.m. local time on Monday. The latest development revealed that the boat carried 206 people while its capacity was only 43 passengers.

Only 22 passengers have been found, with 19 of them having survived, including the captain of MV Sinar Bangun.

The captain of MV Sinar Bangun has been secured by the police and named as suspect. He ignored weather warning issued twice by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Lake Toba is the world's deepest volcanic lake having a depth of 900 meters, spanning a surface area of 1,145 square kilometers. It is a popular tourist destination in North Sumatra.

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