Owner And Boy Helmsman Boat Accident Suspects In Kedung Ombo Boyolali

BOYOLALI - The Boyolali Police have named two suspects in a sinking boat accident which resulted in 9 deaths in the Kedung Ombo Reservoir (WKO), Dukuh Bulu, Boyolali, Central Java.

"From the results of the witness examination, and the title of the case and collecting some of the evidence, we identified two suspects, namely the initials GTS (13), as the boat driver and Kardiyo (52), the owner of the boat as well as the Gako Floating Restaurant, both residents of Dukuh Bulu, Desa Wonoharjo, Kemusu, Boyolali", said Boyolali Police Chief AKBP Morry Ermond, quoted Antara, Tuesday, May 18.

The police chief explained that there were more than 15 witnesses who were questioned by the two suspects, the youth organization, a number of Wonoharjo Village Government officials, and the River Basin Organization (BBWS), and a number of passengers survived.

In addition, the police also confiscated some of the evidence in the form of a white fiberglass motorboat measuring 61 meters long, 1.8 meters wide, and 0.6 meters high hull with a Yamaha Enduro 25 PK boat engine, four pairs of sandals, 14 pieces. sandals, a gray jumper jacket, and a brown head scarf.

The police chief explained that the chronology of the water accident started with 20 people including the pilot with the initials GTS, who boarded the white boat belonging to the suspect Kardiyo from the mainland to the Gako Floating Shop in the Kedung Ombo Reservoir on Saturday, May 15, at around 11.00 WIB.

A boat with 20 passengers from the shore or the mainland goes to Kardiyo's Gako Floating Food Stall with a distance of about 200 meters to the center of the Kedung Ombo Reservoir. The boat driven by GTS was allegedly overloaded, so water started to enter, and several panicked passengers stood up.

"Passengers stood up because the water began to panic into the boat, so it is suspected that the balance was out of control and capsized and then sank", said the Police Chief.

The Police Chief explained that at the time of the sinking of the boat, 11 of the 20 passengers had been rescued and 9 people had not been found. Although, the joint SAR Team finally managed to find all the missing victims.

The police chief said the GTS helmsman with the water accident would be charged under Article 359 of the Criminal Code, namely the criminal act of negligence resulting in the death of another person, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Suspect Kardiyo as the owner of the floating food stall was charged under Article 76 I of Law No. 35/2014 and Law no. 23/2002 on Child Protection. Every person is prohibited from placing, permitting, committing, ordering, or participating in economic and/or sexual exploitation of children with a maximum imprisonment of 10 years or a fine of IDR 200 million and/or Article 359 of the Criminal Code.

According to the Police Chief, his party had sent a summons to GTS and Kardiyo to come to the Boyolali Police Headquarters on Thursday, May 20), to examine the water accident case in Kedung Ombo.

"We have not detained the two suspects, and during the examination, GTS must be accompanied by Correctional Center and his legal advisers", he said.