TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of Medan search and rescue (SAR) agency Budiawan announced that the capsized KM Sinar Bangun boat is predicted to be located at the depth of 460 meters beneath Lake Toba.

Budiawan stated that it is difficult for the team of divers to reach the boat and evacuate remaining victims at that depth. “The diving ability of our personnel and detection device is limited to 350 meters,” said Budiawan today.

During the day of the tragedy on Monday, June 18, the KM Sinar Bangun was carrying hundreds of passengers and dozens of motorcycles on its trip from the port of Samanindo in Samosir to port of Tigaras in Simalungun. The wooden boat legally could only accommodate 43-80 passengers.

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In the middle of its trip, the boat capsized after it was struck by high tides at around 17:30 Indonesian Western Times.

Up until this moment, there are 366 personnel from numerous government instances and agencies equipped with special tools that have merged as a combined effort to evacuate the survivors and the deceased. However, the team have managed to evacuate 21 passengers that consist of 18 survivors and 3 who have died.

Moreover, Budiawan said that Lake Toba’s freezing temperature has also proven to be a challenge for the diving team upon reaching the location of the sinking. He claims that the divers are currently limited to dive up to the depths of 50 meters which was based on mutual agreement.

Meanwhile on land, the combined team mobilized 200 personnel to inspect areas 6-10 kilometers at the throughout the perimeter where the KM Sinar Bangun boat had capsized using 10 rubber rafts, motorized boats, and local fisherman boats.

ANTARA