Passengers Detained At Komodo Airport Imbas Lewotobi Eruption Evacuated Pelni Out Of Labuan Bajo

The atmosphere of Labuan Bajo waters, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province. (ANTAHO-Gecio Viana)

NTT - The Port Authority and Port Authority (KSOP) Class III Labuan Bajo along with a number of institutions opened a sea transportation readiness post to help residents and tourists affected by the temporary closure of Komodo Airport in West Manggarai which was affected by the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki.

"Yesterday we were walking from morning to 9 pm, we helped evacuate passengers, yesterday we had assisted the Pelni ship, KM Egon who left for Lembar at 19.30 WITA," said Head of KSOP Class III Labuan Bajo Stephanus Risdiyanto, in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Monday 11 November, confiscated by Antara.

The post was formed to provide services and information on the schedule of ships leaving Labuan Bajo, in order to provide alternative transportation to passengers affected by the closure of Komodo Labuan Bajo Airport.

"We have also opened this post to coordinate with shipping companies for alternative fast transportation to airports that are not affected, such as Bima, Lombok, and Benoa, then we have departed 51 ships with 777 passengers per night," he said again.

Furthermore, his party also asked for assistance ships from the Surabaya Marine and Coast Guard Base (PLP) to dispatch the Chundamani KNP patrol boat to Bali on Monday, November 11 in the morning, with an estimated journey of 30 hours to Labuan Bajo.

"Then coordinating and deviating for Darma Lautan Utama (DLU), there are two ships that will accelerate to arrive in Bali, that is transportation engineering to evacuate passengers here," he said.

Furthermore, on Monday, there is KM Tilongkabila which will carry as many as 400 passengers from Labuan Bajo to Bima, Lembar, and Benoa.

"For speedboats (fast boats), today several speedboats serve to Sape, they take tourists and visitors to Sape to look for the nearest airport, still under KSOP coordination," he said.

Head of the Labuan Bajo PT Pelni (Persero) Branch Benny Marganda Sinaga said his party was committed to helping residents and tourists affected by the temporary closure of Komodo Labuan Bajo Airport.

"As for today KM Tilongkabila, hopefully we can add more, coordinate with the head office to help friends in Labuan Bajo by paying attention to safety," he said.

He explained that the coordination and synergy between agencies in the post was very good, so that it could effectively help evacuate tourists and residents.

"Yesterday with KM Egon we were able to transport 100 passengers, that was assistance from Pelni and Praise God, thank God it was assisted by stakeholders so that during yesterday's embarkation it went very smoothly," he also said.

Head of Komodo Meteorological Station Maria Seran said the BMKG fully supports the post, because one of the tasks and functions of the BMKG is to monitor the movement of volcanic ash which will endanger flights as well as information related to weather and wave heights in water areas.

"One of the BMKG's support is the weather forecast for the special lane of the Labuan Bajo-Sape port, because the closure of Komodo Airport and other airports in Flores as a follow-up impact of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi men is the full concern of the BMKG leadership at the center," he said.

Based on RGB data, satellite imagery at 14.00 WITA shows that currently the distribution of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Male is not in the West Manggarai airspace.

"The direction of the movement of volcanic ash is to the southwest-northwest," he said.