Indonesia’s transport accidents seemingly have no end, in many ways this country is hardwired for accidents. Adam Air wrecked a plane yesterday in Surabaya, thankfully with no loss of life. Today a ferry accident killed 15 people off the coast off Java. Here’s more from the Jakarta Post.
15 killed, 60 others missing when ferry burned
JAKARTA (JP): Fifteen people were killed and 60 others went missing when a ferry carrying hundreds of passengers was on fire Thursday, reports say.
Elshinto news radio reported the incident occurred when the Levina I ferry was on its way from Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta to Bangka island.
Tanjung Priok administrator said the ill-fated ferry carried 227 people, 42 trucks, 8 cars, and four motorcycles when it left the port at 1.30 a.m. Thursday.
But Transportation Minister Hatta Radjasa said that there were 308 people on board of the ferry and rescuers managed to evacuate 290 people.
Citing data issued by the Indonesian Red Cross, Elshinta reported that 16 people were killed and 60 others went missing after the incident.
The incident occurred around 5.30 a.m. on Thursday when the ship was on Thousand Island waters, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Jakarta.
Some 15 ships and small boats were deployed to rescue the ferry passengers.
Ferry accidents frequently occurred in Indonesian waters because safety standards are often not strictly enforced and many ferries are overcrowded.
A ferry carrying around 600 passengers capsized late December off Java island and more than half of the passengers are believed to have died.
