Four Days Lost In Ternate Waters, Tugboat Crew Found Dead

The Joint SAR Team finally found the body of the crew of the Tugboat Pacific 19 which was missing at the PT Wanatiara Persada pier when the ship loaded with 4,000 tons sank, Wednesday (12/4/2023). (ANTARA)

The Joint SAR Team finally found the body of the crew of the Tugboat Pacific 19 which was missing at the PT Wanatiara Persada pier when the ship loaded with 4,000 tons sank four days ago.

Head of the Ternate Search and Rescue Office Fathur Rahman in Ternate, on the fourth day of the SAR operation at 01.10 WIT, the joint SAR team received information from Babinsa that at coordinates 01.28'05.86"S / 127 deg25'39.34"E distance 0.81 Nm, radian 191.18$ from the suspect point.

"Local fishermen found a body with a male gender dead," Fathur said, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, April 12.

So, when receiving this information, the Joint SAR Team immediately moved to the location, then the victim named Nur Ilham Syah (23 years old) from Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi was successfully evacuated to the PT. Wanatiara Persada Company Clinic.

He stated that the victim was successfully evacuated and arrived at the clinic at 02.16 WIT, the family confirmed that the bodies evacuated by the Joint SAR Team were crew members of the tugboat who were being searched.

Dengan telah ditemukan korban dalam keadaan MD maka Operasi SAR dinyatakan selesai dan ditutup. Semua unsur yang terlibat dikembalikan ke unitanya masing-masing.

According to a report received by Basarnas previously on April 8, 2023 at 19.50 WIT, a Safety from PT Wanatiara Persada ordered the crew of the Tugboat Pacific 19 to remove the Tongkang hook which was loaded with 4,000 Tons of Feronikel because the barge would be moved.

Then the three crew members of the Tugboat, namely Eko Pradana, Hardi Pramana Putra and Ilham, were in the barge next to being loaded with coal, when releasing the rope of a barge loaded with ferronicles had a leak on the front.

So that the cargo of the ferronickel as much as 4,000 tons fell into the sea because the position of the rear stick was lifted, then the three tugboat crews on the barge next to it fell into the sea due to a collision from a leaking barge.