Big Waves Hit and Damage Fishing Vessels

Cianjur, W Java (Antara) - At least five fishing vessels have been destroyed after being hit by big sea waves in the Jayanti beach of Cianjur district, West Java. Most local fishermen have been for the past week left their vessels tied in the beach as they did not dare to face the rolling big waves which reach as high as seven meters, a local fisherman said. Five of the vessels tied to the Jayanti pier had been completely destroyed and a number of other are damaged, causing a loss of more than Rp100 million. "I don't know if I could repair my vessel. It would cost a lot and we have no work other than fishing," Yayat, one of the fishermen said on Wednesday. Yayat said at least 20 fishing vessels are destroyed and damaged in Jayanti and most of the fishermen are too poor to finance the repair. Therefore, they hope for aid from the Cianjur district administration. Otherwise they could never be able to go to the sea fishing, he said. The fishermen have been in the same job for years and they could find other jobs, he added. Efendi (45), another fisherman from Sinarlaut in the Jayanti area, said the government is expected to build a safer terminal for fishing vessels. "This is not the first time fishing vessels being destroyed and damaged by big waves in Jayanti as the pier where the vessels are tied is too expose to the sea with no protection against the barrage of attacks from the sea waves," he said. The big waves hit and pushed the vessels around like toys in the beach, he said. (*)