Ship Captain Named As Suspect of KM Fast Cantika 77 Fire

The fast Cantika 77 Motorboat (KM) caught fire in the waters of Naikliu, North Amfoang District, Kupang, NTT, Monday, October 24. (ANTARA/HO-Screenshot video)

NTT - Edwin, captain of the Fast Cantika 77 Motorboat (KM) was named a suspect in the fire incident on the ship he was piloting.

The ship caught fire in the waters of Naikliu, North Amfoang District, Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Monday, October 24.

NTT Police Chief, Inspector General Johanis Asadoma, said the determination was made after the NTT Police investigation team held a case on Tuesday, November 1.

"I just received the latest information that the suspect has been named as the captain of the ship", said Johanis when confirming back about the determination of the suspect in the burning ship in Kupang, Wednesday.

He added that the NTT Police had also examined several witnesses, including the owner of the Syahbandar ship, crew members, and several ship passengers who were also victims of the KM Fast Cantika 77 fire.

"There are approximately 20 witnesses who have been examined, including the captain of the ship who has been named a suspect", he added.

The process of determining the suspect in the case of a burning ship accident is quite fast because it only took about one week from the incident on Monday, November 24.

In the process of investigating this fire, the NTT Police have brought a Forensic Laboratory team from Denpasar Bali to conduct a crime scene investigation.

Several divers entered the sea up to 20 meters to reveal the origin and cause of the burning of KM Fast Cantika 77.

In the fire that hit KM Fast Cantika 77, the total number of victims was known to be 305 people. With details of the dead victims identified 20 people, the injured 285 people.

Then 17 people were recorded as heirs and three people were still in the survey process.

Meanwhile, this incident also caused 16 people to be reported missing. As of Wednesday 2 November, the SAR team has stopped the search for missing victims.