Marine Transportation in NTT Needs Improvement

At least 17 people died after Express Cantika 77 ferry caught fire in Sawu Sea, NTT, on Monday. The accident should be used as an opportunity to improve marine transportation safety in the province.

BASARNAS KUPANG

A remain of passenger ship, Express Cantika 77, in Sawu Sea, East Nusa Tenggara. Express Cantika 77 cought fire in the area on Monday (24/10/2022). The accident took toll at least 17 passenger dead.

KUPANG, KOMPAS — A passenger ship, Express Cantika 77, caught fire in the Sawu Sea, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Monday (24/10/2022), killing at least 17 people. The accident, which further added to a long list of sea mishaps in the province, should be used as an opportunity to improve sea transportation in the country.

The call for the improvement of the sea transportation was conveyed by the chairman of Commission V of the NTT Regional Legislative Council (DPRD), NTT, Yunus Takandewa, in Kupang, on Tuesday, or a day after the Express Cantika 77 burned down.

BASARNAS

Rescue team evacuated on body of passenger whom died when fast ship Express Cantika 77 burned down, Tuesday (25/10/2022). The marine accident took place in Sawu Sea, East Nusa Tenggara one day before, killing at least 17 people.

According to Yunus, negligence is still the dominant factor causing accidents at sea. “Why did the fire occur? Why is the number of passengers on the ship more than the number indicated in the data written in the log?” asked the member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction.

He asked the transportation office in the country to seriously examine all ships serving the sea areas around NTT. The port authorities must also carry out proper supervision.

The Express Cantika 77 ferry carried as many as 329 people, far greater than the number stated in the log, which was only 167 passengers and 10 crew.

The fact that the number of passengers is different from the data in the ship log shows that there have been violations committed by many parties, from ship operators to port authorities. The Express Cantika 77 ferry carried as many as 329 people, far greater than the number stated in the log, which was only 167 passengers and 10 crew.

Yunus hoped that the ship fire in the Sawu Sea would end the long list of sea accidents that often occurred in NTT. "Let's use this accident as an opportunity for improvement, because shipping is the backbone of transportation in NTT," he said.

Main transportation mode

The NTT province consists of 1,192 islands, of which 42 are inhabited. Inter-island transportation in the province with a population of 5.3 million people relies on sea transportation.

The Express Cantika 77 ferry, captained by Edwin Pareda, caught fire while sailing from Tenau harbor, Kupang, to Kalabahi harbor, Alor regency. The fire accident occurred about 88.9 kilometers from Tenau harbor.

KOMPAS/KORNELIS KEWA AMA.

Fast passenger ship “Cantika Express” in 2018. It serves Kupang-Sabu route in East Nusa Tenggara.

Passengers panicked when they saw smoke rising from the engine room. They then went to the bow of the ship, while the ship continued to move and could not be controlled. The passengers who wore life jackets then plunged into the sea and swam away from the burning ship.

Local residents tried to save the victims. By motorboat, they picked up the victims, who were about 1 nautical mile (1.8 km) from the coast. Several passengers tried to swim up to the coast near Naikliu Village, Kupang regency.

According to data compiled from shipping agents, the ship's maximum carrying capacity is 150 passengers. The ship is operated by PT Pelayaran Dharma Indah, which has an office at Jalan Gunung Mutis, Kupang city. The office is now closed.

The head of the Kupang office of the Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) , I Putu Sudayana, said that he had not yet received exact data on the number of passengers on the ship. If there are residents whose family members were on the voyage, but have not received any information about their whereabout are asked to report to the local Basarnas office.

Separately, the Governor of NTT Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat asked the police to thoroughly investigate the accident.

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.