Police Question Skipper over Motorboat Explosion

Jakarta (Antara) - Police have interrogated the skipper of a motorboat that had exploded in the waters off the Jakarta coast on Wednesday morning. "Investigators have questioned the skipper identified as Abdullah," spokesman of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Snr. Comr. Rikwanto said on Thursday. Rikwanto noted that the police will also question the crew of the motorboat Paus, owned by the Jakarta transportation office. In addition, the police will gather information from passengers of the ill-fated boat and officers of Kaliadem wharf from where the motorboat left. He said the police could not as yet establish the cause of explosion. A forensic team of the Indonesian Police Headquarters is currently investigating the incident. The motorboat exploded when it was near Sekati Busung Island en route to Pramuka Island in the Seribu (thousand) islands, a group of over a hundred islands off the Jakarta coast. The boat, which left Kaliadem wharf at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday, was supposed to make stops at Pari, Lancang, Pramuka, Untung Jawa, and Kelapa islands. The boat had carried 11 crew and 62 passengers. At least 35 people had suffered serious burns after the explosion. (*) Reported by Taufik Ridwan