Ship With 28 People Reported Missing In Mamuju Waters

Illustration of the SAR Team searching for missing persons at sea (ANTARA)

MAMUJU - Basarnas reported that the ship with 28 people on board lost contact in the waters of Batuampar, Mamuju Regency, West Sulawesi (Sulbar).

Head of the Mamuju Search and Rescue Office (Basarnas), Muhammad Rizal, explained that the Bigetron GT-6 ship carrying 28 people sailed from Ambo Island, Bala-Balakang Islands, to Sumare Pier, Mamuju Regency, last Wednesday.

"The Bigetron GT-6 ship sailed from Ambo Island, Bala-Balakang Islands, departing at around 10.00 a.m. Central Indonesian Time (WITA), and should have arrived at Sumare Pier at 16.00 p.m. WITA," said Muhammad Rizal, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, December 21.

However, until Wednesday night at around 24.00 WITA the whereabouts of the Bigetron GT-6 ship were not yet known.

"We received information that the ship had lost contact from the Head of East Bala-Balakang Village,  Mahmud Idris. Then on Wednesday night at around 24.35 WITA we dispatched a Rescue Team to carry out search and rescue," said Muhammad Rizal.

The Basarnas Rescue Team together with other SAR elements, continued Muhammad Rizal, then conducted a search of the shipping route of the Bigetron GT-6 ship.

"We also moved the KN SAR Parikesit 251 which was docked at Belang-Belang Harbor. The 40 meter long ship was involved in the search process," he said.

During this search effort, he said, the joint SAR Team also set up an integrated post at Mamuju Harbor. "To ensure one-stop data information on the incident, we also set up an integrated post at Mamuju Port," said Muhammad Rizal.