TEMPO.CO, Sumenep - Mutiara Sentosa 1 vessel caught fire in waters around Masalembu Island, Sumenep Regency, East Java on Friday afternoon, May 19.
At least 178 passengers and crew onboard the vessel, which sailed from Surabaya to Balikpapan, all survived.
Some of the passengers were evacuated to a passing tanker ship and some were saved by fishermen and taken to Masalembu Community Health Center (Puskesmas).
"The data is not entirely valid, but there are around 50 passengers who are treated in Puskesmas," Masalembu Puskesmas Head Haji Haidar said on Friday.
Haidar explained that on Friday afternoon at around 5 o’clock, Masalembu residents witnessed a ship on fire 7 miles away from the shore or around an hour away. Masalembu fishermen immediately came to the rescue and evacuated the passengers.
The passengers arrived in Puskesmas Masalembu at 7 in the evening and they received immediate treatment.
Haidar further added that most of the passengers are in good condition and some suffered from blisters on their feet and some passed out due to over-consumption of sea water.
Nobody suffered from burn injury.
He also confirmed that medicine supplies and manpower in Puskemas Masalembu are sufficient to treat the passengers.
MUSTHOFA BISRI
