Durian. At least 18 people are injured after a passenger ship capsized in a local port in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province on Feb.20 because its mooring lines were cut, a port official said.
The passenger ship KMP Bili, operated by state-owned water transportation firm ASDP Ferry Indonesia, capsized at Parigi Piai Port, in Sambas Besar River banks in Tebas, Sambas regency in the afternoon hours.
“When the ship begun to anchor at Parigi Piai port and passengers started leaving it, the vessel sloped and its mooring lines were cut off, caused it capsized,”Yuli Indrawanto, head of part management of Sintete Port and surrounds ports said.
The ship was carrying 72 passengers and 15 crews as well as 11 medium-scale trucks, two cars and 11 motorcycles when the accident took place.
KMP Bili was from crossing Sambas Besar River which about 800 meter-wide from Tebas to Parigi Piai before capsizing.
“We are conducting preliminary investigation towards the ship captain and ground staffs from ASDP [Ferry Indonesia] to know the chronology and facts, while asking the operator to add more ropes to the ship, so it won’t be dragged by water currents,” Indrawanto explained.
No casualty in the accident due to immediate response from personnel of the port management as well as from local unit of the National Search and Rescue Agency.
