Many Illegal Tourist Boats Transport Tourists In Labuan Bajo, NTT Regional Government Immediately Take Control

NTT - The Provincial Government of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) will immediately control tourist boats in Labuan Bajo operating in the waters of Komodo Island, West Manggarai Regency.

"We have coordinated with various related parties to control tourist ships operating in Labuan Bajo. Ships that do not have operating permits in Labuan Bajo will certainly be prohibited from transporting tourists who come to visit Komodo", said the Head of the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Tourism Office, Sony Zeth Libing when contacted in Kupang, Antara, Tuesday, July 5.

Sony Zeth Libing confirmed that this was related to the existence of illegal tourist boats carrying tourists traveling to the Komodo Island area.

He explained that the existence of ships operating in Labuan Bajo must be regulated so that operating tourist ships that use tourists must meet the requirements of tourist ships.

"Ships used by tourists must be seaworthy by meeting security and safety standards for passengers, especially tourists", he said.

According to him, tourist ships that do not meet the specified requirements are prohibited from carrying tourists operating in Labuan Bajo.

"Tourism ships operating in West Manggarai Regency must dock in Labuan Bajo, if you don't want them, don't operate in Labuan Bajo", said Sony Zeth Libing.

The NTT government, he said, was increasingly assertive because cases of marine accidents that befell tourists occurred in a row in the waters of Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, allegedly because the ship did not meet the specified safety standards.

"Not meeting safety standards as a tourist ship is certainly not allowed to operate. Security officers are certain to act decisively because the NTT Regional Government does not want accident cases for tourists to continue to occur in the area", said Sony Zeth Libing.