Hit By Waves, Ship With 66 People Sinks In Waters Of South Halmahera, North Maluku

Head of KSOP Class II Ternate Port, Agustinus during a press conference on Tuesday (19/7) morning regarding the sinking of the KM Cahaya Arafah ship on the Ternate-South Halmahera route carrying 66 passengers (ANTARA/Abdul Fatah)

TERNATE - The Port Authority and Port Authority (KSOP) Office of Ternate City, North Maluku (Malut) stated that the KM Cahaya Arafah ship on the Ternate-South Halmahera route carrying 66 passengers sank in the waters of Tokaka, West Gane.

"KM Cahaya Arafah departed from Bastiong Ternate Port on Monday (18/7) at around 08.30 eastern Indonesia time, before the letter of postponement of shipping activities was issued by KSOP and at 18.12 eastern Indonesia time it was informed that it sank in the waters of Tokaka, South Halmahera Island due to being hit by sea waves," said the Head of KSOP Ternate's Class II port, Agustinus in Ternate, as reported by ANTARA, Monday, July 18.

He said, according to the manifest of passengers and crew as many as 66 people with goods transported weighing 21 tons, and the weather conditions at the time of departure from Ternate to their destination were very bright and not bumpy.

The ship departed from Ternate to South Halmahera at 08.30 eastern Indonesia time and sank at around 18.12 eastern Indonesia time in the waters of Samo Village towards Tokaka.

The information obtained was that the sinking of the ship was due to weather due to being hit by sea waves and currently being confirmed with UPP Babang and Wilker Saketa regarding passengers who were rescued or declared missing.

In fact, until now, KSOP is still collecting data and hopes for the prayers of the entire community, so that all passengers can be found safe.

His party also continues to update data related to the process of rescuing passengers and crew of KM Cahaya Bahari which is currently being carried out by the KSOP team, Basarnas together with the local community.

Agustinus stated that before departing from Ternate to South Halmahera in a seaworthy condition and when it sank about 100 meters from the beach in the waters of Samo Village to Tokaka Village.

According to information on the shipwreck and about 60 passengers, they are in safe condition and according to the manifest signed by the captain of the ship.

Previously, KSOP had issued a notification letter numbered: UM.003/II/14/KSOP.TTE-2022 regarding the delay of all shipping activities due to bad weather, especially in Ternate waters and various areas in North Maluku and all shipping activities on July 18 2022 at At 16.45 wit there was a delay in sailing due to bad weather conditions accompanied by strong winds, thus endangering safety while sailing.

According to him, the postponement of all shipping activities is to anticipate the occurrence of casualties and property at sea, so that all voyages starting from local passenger ships, ferries, pioneers, landing craft tanks, SPOB and people's ships on the Ternate-Dama-Morotai-Bacan route, Pulau Obi, Sanana, Batang Dua to North Sulawesi Province, namely Ternate-Bitung and Ternate-Manado.

Meanwhile, in a separate location, the Head of the Ternate Basarnas, Fatur Rahman, stated that the passengers of KM Cahaya Arafah had safely been evacuated to Gita by the KPLP KNP 375 Tidore ship and for the Pandudewanata SAR ship to search for passengers in the Tokaka waters because there were still 12 people who were declared missing.