12 Passengers Of KM Lalong Koe Who Drowned In NTT Found Selamat

The joint SAR team in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province managed to evacuate 12 passengers and crew of the KM Lalong Koe tourist boat that sank in the waters of Batu Tiga, Boleng District, West Manggarai Regency in a safe condition.

"The SAR team has evacuated 12 people in a safe condition in the sinking of the KM Lalong Koe tourist boat in the waters of Batu Tiga, West Manggarai Regency," said Head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office, Mexianus Bekabel, as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, May 20.

The tourist ship KM Lalong Koe sank in the waters of Batu Tiga, West Manggarai Regency, about 18.8 nautical miles from the port of KSOP Labuan Bajo.

The KM Lalong Koe tour boat was boarded by 12 people consisting of four crew members and seven tourists, namely four domestic tourists and three foreign tourists from Germany after traveling to Komodo National Park.

The tour boat departed from Komodo Island to Labuan Bajo, but at around 15:45 WITA while in Batu Tiga waters, the ship was hit by strong winds and high waves so that the ship sank.

When the joint SAR team arrived at the scene to conduct a search and rescue, all passengers and crew members were on the Larearea Tourism Ship which happened to pass by the scene, so they immediately provided assistance to the ill-fated KM Lalong Koe passengers.

Mexianus Bekabel explained that the SAR team on board the RIB ship while at the scene immediately evacuated four passengers who were injured, namely one domestic tourist who suffered a broken leg and three minor injuries to the leg, including one of the foreigners from Germany.

"All of the tourists who were injured have been taken to Siloam Hospital for medical treatment," said Mexianus.