SAR Team Rescues 21 Ship Accident Passengers In Alor Waters

The SAR team evacuated the crew of KM Nusantara who had an accident in the waters of Pantar, Alor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Tuesday. (ANTARA/HO-Basarnas Maumere)

The joint SAR team managed to save 21 passengers on the Nusantara Motorboat who suffered damage after a broken steering wheel while in the waters between Petar Island and Pura Island, Alor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province.

Head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Office, Mexianus Bekabel, said that 21 passengers and four crew members (AKB) of KM Nusantara had all been evacuated safely.

The Nusantara Motorboat carrying 21 passengers and four crew members at around 07.00 WITA sailed from Tamakh to Kalabahi.

However, at around 12.30 WITA when the ship was on a voyage in the waters of Petar Island and Pulau, the ship suffered a broken steering so that the ship experienced engine failure so that it could not continue its journey to Kalabahi, the capital city of Alor Regency.

After receiving information about the accident, the SAR team from the Kalabahi SAR Post immediately moved to the location to make rescue efforts for passengers and crew members.

Mexianus Bekabel explained that when he was found, KM Nusantara, who suffered a broken steering wheel, was adrift of a fairly high wave in the waters between Petar Island and Pulau Pura.

The SAR team who arrived at the scene at around 15:35 WITA immediately evacuated the crew to the Kalabahi Alor port using the RIB (rigid inflatable boat) SAR Post Alor.

Meanwhile, KM Nusantara suffered damage to anchoring in Alor Kecil waters for repairs.

Before the SAR team arrived at the scene of the incident, the passengers of KM Nusantara had also been evacuated by the Wenar Motor Ship to Nele Village, Pantar Alor Island.

"All passengers of KM Nusantara are safe," said Mexianus.