Overloading 3,000 Tons Of CPO Oil Drowning In Musi River, 10 Crews Successfully Evacuated

South Sumatra Police Ditpolairud personnel evacuated 10 crew members of the barge that sank in the Musi River, Palembang, Wednesday (15/10/2025). ANTARA

JAKARTA - Personnel from the Directorate of Water and Air Police (Ditpolairud) of the South Sumatra Police (Sumsel) evacuated 10 crew members of a barge loaded with 3,000 tons of CPO oil that sank in the Musi River, Palembang, Wednesday, October 15 at around 05.30 WIB.

Dirpolair Polda Sumsel Kombes Pol Sonny Mahar Budi Adityawan, said that the entire crew of the ship was rescued and there were no casualties.

"As soon as we received the report, Ditpolairud personnel immediately went to the scene to ensure the safety of the crew and secure the water area. Currently the situation is under control, and no oil spills have been found around the location," he said, quoted by Antara.

Pangkalan Sandar 30 Ilir personnel together with the Palembang Polrestabes Satpolairud have also taken steps to handle the scene, including the evacuation of crew members, data collection of witnesses, and documentation of the incident.

The Head of Public Relations of the South Sumatra Police, Kombes Pol Nandang Mu'min Wijaya, said that the investigation regarding the cause of the sinking of the ship is now being handled by the South Sumatra Police Ditpolair Sub-Directorate Intel Unit.

"The entire crew is safe. We continue to monitor the situation and ensure that there is no environmental impact due to this incident. The South Sumatra Police are committed to providing fast service to events in the waters," said Nandang.

The South Sumatra Police also appealed to the shipping parties to always pay attention to weather conditions and river currents that can change quickly, especially in the Musi River area to avoid similar accidents in the future.

Meanwhile, based on information from the captain of the ship with the initials D (43), the ship has arrived at the dock since October 13, 2025 for the process of filling CPO oil which was completed on October 14, 2025.

When he was about to leave for the middle of the river on the morning of October 15, the swift current of the Musi River caused the towing to tighten and push the ship's hull to the right side. This condition made the ship lose balance and eventually capsized and sank.

When the ship began to tilt, the captain and nine other crew immediately fled by jumping into the river. All of them were successfully evacuated by fishing boats and reportedly safe.