13 People Reported Dead After Boat Capsized in East Java

Sumenep, East Java (ANTARA) - Thirteen people have been reported dead while 14 others saved after a boat capsized in the waters between Guagua and Tonduk isles in Raas sub-district, Sumenep district, East Java, on Saturday. Sumenep resort police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Susanto said he had received a report from a member of the Raas police sector that "13 have been found dead while 14 others saved. But this is still temporary." "Raas police members are still on the way to the scene to know the chronology of the incident including the number of passengers on the boar. So for the time being we could not as yet about the number of the passengers," he said. He said some of the dead victims and survivors had been taken to Tonduk isle and some others to Guagua isle. "Data is still being collected but according to information spreading among local villagers the number of passengers on the ill-fated boat is above 30," he said. Susanto said he had also sent a team to Raas Island to help local police handle the case. "In general the weather around Raas waters is not conducive. The wind is quite strong," he said. The boat was carrying relatives of a villager of Guagua who married a villager of Tonduk on Friday (Sept 23) when it capsized. The boat left for Guagua from Tonduk with the wedding delegation. Under normal conditions the trip from Guagua to Tonduk takes two to three hours. The boat's skeeper meanwhile has been found safe. "According to reports that we recieved the skipper namely Suriyanto is safe but he is still shocked," Raas sub-district head Eko Junaidi said here on Saturday. Raas is one of the island subdistricts in the district of Sumenep. Two of seven villages in Raas are isles namely Guagua and Tonduk. A boat ride from Raas to Guagua takes around 45 minutes while from Raas to Tonduk around three for four hours.