Bad Weather Destroys Longboat in Tanimbar, One Passenger Dies

AMBON - A long boat or longboat carrying 14 people in the Tanimbar Islands Regency, Maluku, was reported to have sunk when a sudden change in the weather occurred and resulted in one person dying.

"The victim who died was known as Thomas Kadung (42), while the other 13 passengers survived the disaster," said the Coordinator of the Saumlaki SAR Post, Wahyunan Samal, quoted by Antara, Thursday, July 9.

The longboat with 14 passengers was on its way from Kamatubun Village on Sera Island to Selu Island, Tanimbar Islands, but ended up sinking due to bad weather.

According to him, in the report of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of the Tanimbar Islands to the Saumlaki SAR Post on July 8 at around 11.10 WIT, it was conveyed that the longboat departed from Sera Island on Tuesday, July 7 at around 08.30 WIT.

Initially, their journey was normal as usual and smooth without obstacles. However, the weather suddenly changed for the worse in the middle of the road and the longboat eventually sank.

Using the Rigit Inflatable Boat, at around 11.30 WIT, the Saumlaki SAR Post Rescue Team and SAR Potential were deployed to the location at coordinates 7°36'51.43"S - 130°59'3.38"E, a distance of ± 42.3 NM, with a heading of 321° northwest from Saumlaki Port.

"At around 13.20 WIT, the Joint SAR Team arrived at the accident site and began searching for the victim. Even in the midst of bad weather, the search for the victim did not stop and continued to be carried out with attention to safety," he said.

The search efforts for the victim only yielded results at around 17.49 WIT, where the victim was found by the Joint SAR Team in a dead condition in the waters of the mangrove forest of Tatun Angbabal Village, Selu Island.

The position of the victim when found by the team was approximately 4.6 NM from the initial incident location and then the victim was evacuated by the Joint SAR Team to Sera Island to be handed over to the family at 19.20 WIT.