The Joint SAR Team Successfully Evacuated Victims Of The Sinking Ship In Labuan Bajo

LABUAN BAJO - The joint SAR team succeeded in evacuating tourists who were victims of a sinking tourist ship in the waters of Pulau Kambing, Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, NTT.

"After receiving the information at 08.10 WITA, the SAR Rescue Team was dispatched to carry out SAR operations at 08.40 WITA, and arrived at the scene at 09.00 WITA", said Head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office, Lalu Wahyu Efendi, in a statement received in Labuan Bajo, Tuesday, June 28.

In the process of rescuing the victims, the joint SAR team managed to find a victim named J Widaningsi who was dead. The victim was immediately evacuated to Komodo Labuan Bajo Hospital.

He further explained that the second victim, Anisa Firtiani, was found dead and evacuated at 10.10 WITA after the dive process from the West Manggarai and Polair SAR Posts around the scene.

Then he told the information about the accident of the tourist ship named KLM Tiana weighing 61 GT that occurred in the waters of Kambing Island with the ASDP Labuan Bajo Port shipping route to Padar Island.

The coordinates of the location of the incident are 08°37'28.50" S - 119°42'31.93" E with a radial 231.58° and a distance of 12.62 NM from the West Manggarai SAR Post.

He said the ship carried 18 passengers and 6 crew members. Bad weather and high waves caused the ship to sink in that location.

"With God's permission, the Andalucia Tourist Ship happened to pass around the Tiana Tourist Ship and carried out the assistance", he said, quoted by Antara.

On that occasion, he thanked the joint SAR Team consisting of the West Manggarai SAR Post Rescue Team, Labuan Bajo Navy Base, Polair Labuan Bajo, KPP Labuan Bajo, and Andalucia Crew who were alert and quick to help the victims.

"The SAR operation is running safely and smoothly thanks to the solid coordination and synergy between the joint SAR teams", he said.