Boat capsizes in Papua, 13 missing

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/07/24/boat-capsizes-in-papua-13-missing.html

Boat capsizes in Papua, 13 missing

Nethy Darma Somba The Jakarta Post Jayapura | Mon, July 24, 2017 | 06:15 pm

A traditional village in Papua. (Shutterstock/File)

The Jayapura Search and Rescue (SAR) team in Papua are still searching for the 13 people who went missing on the Mamberamo River in the Bintang Mountains in Batani district on Friday.

"Our men are still on the ground, combing along the river but so far none of them has been found," SAR Jayapura head Melkianus Kutta told The Jakarta Post in Jayapura.

The 13 were passengers on a boat carrying a total of 28 people that capsized after it hit logs in the river.

Batani district head Anike Alwolka said the boat was then stuck in the middle of the river until a large wave smashed into it.

"These days the river's stream can quickly escalate because of rain," he told the Post.

Read also: Another cargo plane skids off runway in Papua

Only 15 of the passengers have been found. They were transferred to Jayapura using a Pilatus Porter plane chartered from AMA.

The passengers were residents of Mamblu village in Yahukimo regency who were traveling to Batani to attend a religious ceremony.

"The injured victims are still being treated at the Yowari Hospital,'' Anike said. (bbs)

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