JAKARTA - The Sorong Class I City and Port Authority (KSOP) Office confirmed that the sinking of the MT Niko tanker in the waters of Dua Island was caused by bad weather in the form of strong winds and high waves that hit the area.
Head of Maritime Safety, Security, and Patrol of the Sorong Class I KSOP, Ronald, said the explanation was based on the minutes of the meeting delivered by the ship's captain.
"The MT Niko ship departed from Jayapura Port on January 28, 2026 with the destination of Tarjun Port, Kalimantan, carrying Crude Palm Oil (CPO) cargo," said Ronald in Sorong, West Papua, Wednesday, quoted by Antara.
He explained that at 04.10 WIT, the MT Niko ship passed the MV Victory ship in open waters. Then at 05.25 WIT, the ship changed course from 270 degrees or west to 236 degrees.
"At that time, the guard officer had plotted the position and the ship was still on a safe sailing route," he said.
However, the situation changed at 05.40 WIT when the ship was hit by a wave and a large wave from the right hull, so the ship was pushed to the left. Efforts to return the ship to its original path were unsuccessful due to the influence of strong winds and increasing sea waves.
"At 05.50 WIT, the weather worsened. High waves and sea waves caused the ship to drift to the left, stranded, and finally sank," said Ronald.
Based on the initial measurement results, the water depth around the ship varies between 4 to 5 meters at the bow, hull, and stern. Meanwhile, the water depth at the sinking point is estimated to be around two meters, with the water conditions on the other side still relatively deep.
After the ship sank, the ship's crew immediately stopped the engine and carried out a thorough check to ensure the condition of the ship and the safety of the crew.
"Until now, there have been no reports of casualties or marine pollution due to the incident," he said.
KSOP Class I Sorong has also deployed two tugboats to carry out evacuation efforts. However, the previous evacuation attempt was unsuccessful because the towing rope broke due to weather conditions.
"Evacuation will be tried again by considering weather conditions and sea level rise, and is planned to be carried out in the afternoon," he said.
If the evacuation process is successful, the MT Niko ship will be directed to moor temporarily at the Wasior Port to undergo inspection by the Marine Inspector and the Indonesian Classification Bureau (BKI) to ensure the seaworthiness of the ship before being towed to Sorong.
Ronald added that the examination of the crew members through the Examination Report (BAP) would be carried out after the evacuation process was completed and the ship was in a safe condition.
He admitted that information regarding the alleged ship that sank in the coral reef area or marine conservation area was the domain of the Environment Service or BKSDA.
"The authority is with the relevant technical agencies such as the Environment Service or BKSDA," he said.
KSOP Class I Sorong ensures that it will continue to carry out supervision, cross-agency coordination, and control of shipping safety, especially in the midst of poor weather conditions in the waters of South West Papua.
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