5 Indonesian Workers Victims of Sunken Ship in Malaysia, 3 Dead
28 July 2016 12:38 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of Indonesian workers from Sumenep, East Java, who became victims of a sunken ship in Malaysia have increased to five. Two survived and three were found dead. The victims are passengers of a freighter ship that sunk in Batu Layar Beach Rengit River, Bandar Penawar, Johor Bahru, on Saturday, July 23, after it was hit by a fierce wave.
Head of Social Service Worker and Transmigration Sumenep Koesman Hadi said that through a notification letter from the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor Bahru, Malaysia previously stated there were three residents of Sumenep who became casualties and identified as Rusida, Muhawan and Ariffin, residents of Kangean Island. “The one who died is Rusida,” he said Thursday, July 28.
However, in the latest letter from the Indonesian Consulate General dated July 27 2016, it mentioned that two other people from Sumenep were found dead. Koesman say that the additional victims are identified as Farida (30) and Salim (32) of Paseraman Village, Arjasa Subdistrict, Kangean Island. “Farida was found dead Saturday, Jul 23, while Sallim was discovered dead two days later.”
Koesman say the victims who survived and died are believed to be illegal workers as they are not inscribed in the data of Sumenep District Government migrant workers. Although illegal, Koesman insures that the regional government will still take care of the corpses’ homecoming process. Farida and Salim’s corpses will depart from Kuala Lumpur to Indonesia with routes to Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta-Surabaya. “Rusida’s corpse has been sent home yesterday,” he said.
The Foreign Ministry say the sinking of the ship began when the ship’s engine suddenly stalled last Saturday. The ship bounced and drowned after it was hit by a huge wave in Pantai Batu Layar Sungai Rengit, Bandar Penawar, Johor Bahru. The ship sailed from Johor, Malaysia, to Batam, Indonesia, carrying 62 people. 34 people survived while the rest were found dead and missing.
MUSTHOFA BISRI
