Six Bodies Of Indonesian Crew Members Of Shipwreck In Japanese Waters Returned

The process of repatriating six Indonesian citizens, members of the Keoyoung Sun ship (ABK) who sank in Shimonoseki waters, Japan. BETWEEN/HO-Humas Ministry of Transportation

The Directorate General of Sea Transportation (Hubla) of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) stated that six bodies of Indonesian citizens, crew members of the Keoyoung Sun Ship, which sank in Shimonoseki waters, Japan, had been returned to the country.

Director of Shipships and Maritime Affairs of the Ministry of Transportation Hartanto said the return of the six bodies had been carried out in stages, with the bodies of two crew members, namely Suwatno and Muhammad Munir Agung Suhartono arriving in Indonesia on April 4, 2024.

Furthermore, the bodies of Riko Mayanto and Ade Ageng Suparman arrived in the country on April 5, 2024. Meanwhile, the other two bodies on behalf of Yudi Yudiana Abdullah and Rosin were flown from Tokyo to Jakarta today, April 6, 2024.

"After going through a long process, until now four bodies have arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport using Garuda Indonesia aircraft and two other bodies will arrive on April 6, 2024 at 17.35 WIB," Hartanto said as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, April 6.

As for one Indonesian crew member who has not been found, he continued, the Coast Guard continues to deploy its members to search.

The Indonesian citizen on behalf of Asep Saepudin Juhri is missing and is still being sought by related parties in Japan. The Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to coordinate intensively to find all the crew members of our Indonesian citizens who were victims of the sinking ship," said Hartanto.

Previously, the ship carrying chemicals with the South Korean flag (South Korea) that sank in Japanese waters carried 11 crew members consisting of eight Indonesian citizens, two South Korean nationals, and one Chinese citizen.

Of the total eight Indonesian citizens who were victims, 6 were declared dead, one is still being searched, and one person on behalf of Ryan Yudatama Lizar is the only survivor of this tragedy.

Meanwhile, the cause of the accident is still in the process of being investigated, but it is suspected that it was due to bad weather.

"We express our deepest condolences to the families and relatives left behind. Hopefully the bereaved family will be given fortitude in facing this ordeal, and hopefully one other victim can be found soon," said Hartanto.

Meanwhile, the Head of Sub-Directorate for Other Regions outside the Southeast Asia and Middle East Regions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) Tony Wibawa added that in addition to facilitating the repatriation of bodies, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs oversee the process of fulfilling the rights of the deceased to the bereaved family. Including the delivery of insurance, and compensation for the victims," said Tony:

The handover of the rights will be carried out at the head office of the Ministry of Transportation and will be handed over directly to the family, witnessed by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an agency company for the crew of the ship that owns SIUPPAK.

In addition to the Directorate General of Sea Transportation, the repatriation of the crew's body was also escorted by the Directorate of Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an agency company for crew members who owned SIUPPAK.