Three Passengers of Capsized Speed Boat Found Safe

Ambon - Three of 11 people on board of a speedboat capsized on Thursday off Warabal, Southeast Maluku were found safe on Friday with eight others still missing. One of survivors Ruben Tabalubun told his helper, Syawal, a worker of a pearl company on the island of Manir , he managed to swim to the island of Manir after the boat was hit by storms and sank in the afternoon yesterday. Ruben said he swam together with his brother Ujang Tabalubun , but he could not see him when he reached the coast of the island. He said it took three hours for him to swim to the island and spent six hours more walking before he arrived at the location of a pearl company. Syawal said after treating Ruben they began the search for possible other survivors with help from other workers of the pearl company. Two other passengers Kores and Bili young boys of around 10 years were found on the beach later in in the morning . Ruben said the 11 passengers, including three women and two children were all members of a family. They were on their way back home to Debut after celebrating Christmas with relatives in Tanimbar when the accident occurred. (*)