Officers Prevent Palm Oil Pollution Due To Collision Of 3 Ships In Gresik Waters

Illustration of crude oil spill along the southern coast of Pari Island, Kepulauan Seribu Regency (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Rescuers from joint police officers, the Navy, Basarnas and Kesyahbandaran are working to prevent marine pollution due to ship accidents in Gresik waters, East Java.

Director of the Directorate of Air and Water Police of the East Java Regional Police, Kombes Arnapi, was reported by Antara, Saturday, January 23, that the ship accident caused a leak on the barge BG Makmur Abadi 5 carrying a cargo of palm oil.

"One of them is we are trying to get the oil cargo from the barge to be transferred to another ship," said Arnapi.

The accident occurred on Saturday morning at 03:15 WIB, in the Buoy 3 area of the West Cruise Line in Surabaya, Gresik waters.

The accident involved 3 ships, namely the cargo ship KM Tanto Bersinar which had just sailed from the Port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, and the Mitra Jaya XIX Tug Boat (TB) which was towing the barge BG Makmur Abadi 5 loaded with palm oil, which sailed from the Port. Sungai Putih, South Kalimantan, the destination of Gresik Port.

The cargo ship KM Tanto Bersinar was informed that it was not damaged. However, TB Mitra Jaya with its eight crew members lost contact after the collision.

"Meanwhile, 3 of the crew were rescued by fishermen," said Arnapi.

Meanwhile, the barge BG Makmur Abadi experienced a tilt and a leak. According to Arnapi, two BG Makmur Abadi crews were rescued.

"Currently, together with joint officers from the Navy, Basarnas, Kesyahbandaran, KPLP, and other maritime elements are still searching for the 5 missing victims,"

"Apart from that, we also strive so that the leakage from the barge BG Makmur Abadi due to the accident does not cause sea pollution," he said.