BMKG Claims to Have Issued Warning Prior to Toba Lake Tragedy
21 June 2018 12:52 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said they have issued warnings of extreme weather in the area of Lake Toba and surrounding areas at 16:30 local time, or 30 minutes before the Sinar Bangun V ship sailed. The boat crew insisted on sailing at 17:00, and eventually sank at around 17:30.
"Based on the observation data, there was a surge in wind speed between the hours of 5 to 6 pm," BMKG PR chief Hary Tirto Djatmiko told Tempo on Wednesday, June 20.
Read also: Capsized Boat in Lake Toba was Privately Owned, Said Minister
The Sinar Bangun V, which was carrying passengers from Simanindo Port sank because of two factors; over-capacity and the crew's ignoring the BMKG's warning.
The boat capacity is 43 passengers, but it was expected that the boat was carrying more than that.
The National Search and Rescue Agency has found the bodies of four victims who died. Eighteen others were found alive.
Hary said that extreme weather warning information has issued all relevant agencies, including the authorities at the dock of Lake Toba. "Anyone would get the information because we routinely issue warnings," he said.
FAJAR PEBRIANTO
