The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Tue, 06/07/2011
At least 17 people have been reported dead and 15 others remain missing after a packed speed boat sank on Monday in Tanjung Dewa in the South Kalimantan town of Banjarmasin.
A joint team from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Navy and the National Police, among others, were forced to end their search and rescue efforts on Monday evening because of poor weather conditions in the area.
“The waves are really big at the moment,” a member of the Kotabaru branch of Basarnas, who asked to remain anonymous, told tribunnews.com.
The vessel, Martasiah 2, had been carrying 105 passengers from Port Panjang in Kotabaru and was on its way to Geronggan village in Central Kelumpang district when it was hit by the high waves.
“The weather was very bad. A huge wave hit the right side of the boat. The rudder stopped working, and then the boat started sinking,” said Tarji, a member of the boat's crew, several hours after being rescued.
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