Monument to Be Built in Memory of Ferry Victims in Lake Toba

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – After a 16-day evacuation process, the search for KM Sinar Bangun ferry that sank in Lake Toba will end tomorrow, Tuesday, July 3. The Simalungun regency administration has promised to build monument in memory of the victims.

Victims' families have reportedly let go of their relatives who died in the tragedy that took place on Monday, June 18.

“There was an agreement to let the unrecovered victims go. The regency administration will also build a monument,” said the head of Medan Search and Rescue Team, Budiawan, today.

According to Budiawan, the monument will take the shape of a boat with the names of the victims penned on it. There are a total of 164 victims that are still missing. 

Read: Capsized Ferry Boat in Lake Toba Found

Despite having let the victims go, Budiawan admits the discussions that led to that decision between the SAR team and victims' families were tough, considering that the victims’ families had insisted on finding their loved ones.

“We plan to hold a ceremony by scattering flowers on the lake in memory of the victims today and tomorrow,” said Budiawan.

The evacuation process underwent a positive development after the SAR team discovered the capsized boat in Lake Toba with the help of an ROV at the depth of 450 meters. However, the team failed to retrieve the boat despite numerous attempts.

Based on the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) records, only 21 people survived the ferry disaster, and three were found dead. 

IIL ASKAR MONZA