Squid Vessel Hit by Barge, One Crew Sinking, Still Missing

Police are seeking information from the crew of a squid fishing boat that sank after being hit by a barge on Pesona Beach, Bangka. (Special)

JAKARTA - A squid search ship (vessel) collided with a barge in the waters of Pesona Beach, Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Province on Tuesday, August 8. A crew member (ABK) named Hasan disappeared from drowning in those waters.

Meanwhile, one crew member named Dika survived after swimming 1 mile using a jerry can. Dika survived because he was successfully evacuated by the fisherman KM Nurki.

The boat accident was then reported by other fishermen who knew about the accident to the Pangkalpinang Search and Rescue Office.

"Receiving this information, the Pangkalpinang Search and Rescue Office opened a Joint SAR Operation," said the Head of the Pangkalpinang Search and Rescue Office, I Made Oka Astawa when confirmed, Tuesday, August 8.

Next, I Made dispatched a rescue team to the location of the ship's accident point.

"We sent a team to the LKP (Last Known Position) point or the last point and searched at coordinates 1°50.467'S 106°12.841'E," Made explained.

The search for the crew of the squid ship named Hasan will be carried out using several SAR search methods.

"First, we will conduct a survey above the surface of the water for 5 miles from Uber Bay to the east using a rubber boat. The search will be carried out for the next 7 days according to the SOP from Basarnas," he said.

However, he continued, the time to search for victims would be stopped if the victims were quickly found before the next 7 days. But if the victim is not found within 7 days, monitoring will continue.

"If there are signs of victims, SAR operations can be reopened," he concluded.