The Captain Of The Sinking Ship In Banggai Buton Bay Is A Suspect

The captain of an inter-village ferry in Buteng, the initials S, who drowned when he was escorted to the Mako Dit Polairud Polda Sultra. (Between/La Ode Muh Deden Saputra)

The captain of an inter-village ferry that sank in Banggai Bay, East Mawasangka District, Central Buton Regency (Buteng), Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra), was named a suspect.

The captain was deemed negligent, resulting in 15 deaths in the incident.

Director of the Water and Air Police (Polairud) Polda Sultra Kombes Faisal Florentinus Napitupulu said the handling of the case was based on a model A report handled by the Law Enforcement Sub-Directorate (Gakkum) of the Dit Polairud Polda Sultra.

"For LP (police reports) we have made type A with Number LP/A/06/VII/2023 SPKT Dit Polairud Polda Sultra dated July 25, 2023," said Faisal as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, July 28.

The suspect is a motorist (nahhoda) of an inter-village assembled ship with the initials S.

The sinking incident occurred on Monday (24/7) at around 00.20 WITA due to overload and an unfit ship for sailing.

"Located in Banggai Bay, between Lagili Village and Lanto Village, East Mawasangka District, Buteng Regency, there has been a shipping crime, namely sea accident and or mistake causing another person to die, which is due to capacity by using a type of 'pincara' boat that escorts passengers from Lakoruaa Village, Central Mawasangka District to Lagili Village, East Mawasangka District," explained Faisal.

The ferry ship contained 69 passengers who were observed that the ship could only carry as many as 20 passengers.

"The number of passengers is about 69 people, with details of 66 residents of Lagili Village and three people from Wambuloli Village, in terms of actual feasibility this boat is not feasible, plus overload," he said.

The victims were about to return to their respective homes after participating in the activities of the 9th Buteng Regency Birthday (HUT) using S's ferry boat service.

"These victims happen to have an event celebrating the 9th Anniversary of Buteng. So these victims went to Lakorua Village because the event was there, and this accident happened again," he explained.