20 Dead in Boat Accident in Labuhanbatu

Labuhanbatu, N Sumatra (Antara) - A boat capsized in Kubung Sei Berombang River, Panai Hilir Village of Labuhanbatu District in North Sumatra, on Wednesday (July 30), resulting in 20 deaths. "Yes, we have found the corpses of all the 20 dead passengers, one of which is on its way here," Panai Hilir village chief Abdul Syarif stated here on Friday. During the search operations for the victims of the boat accident on Friday (Aug 1), the bodies of another seven passengers were found scattered near the crash site, and one body was found some 18 kilometers away. "The body of one passenger is on its way here, which was found in Tanjung Bangsi, about 18 kilometers away from Sei Berombang," Abdul added. The total number of casualties in this incident is 20 people and 28 others have survived, of which 13 passengers were found shortly after the incident took place. On Wednesday (July 30), a boat carrying 48 passengers capsized in the Sei Berombang waters, Panai Hilir Village, and it was earlier reported that seven passengers had died and 13 others were missing. "The accident occurred at around half past ten in the evening," Hafifuddin of the Panai Hilir sub-district administration remarked here on Thursday (July 31). Of the seven fatalities, six were children. The ill-fated boat departed from Tanjung Leidong, North Labuhanbatu (Labura), and was on its way to Sei Berombang and Labuhan Bilik, Panai Hilir Sub-district, at 10.25 p.m. local time. The boat was sailing in pitch darkness with thick haze covering the area around the Sei Berombang waters, when it hit a pillar that was usually used for tying fishing vessels in the water. * (*)