Boat with Illegal Immigrants Still Missing

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara - A wooden boat carrying some 50 illegal immigrants from the Middle East which allegedly went down southwest of Maluk Strait on Thursday at 1:50 p.m. local time had not been recovered by a SAR team using a National Disaster Agency (Basarnas) helicopter of Denpasar, Bali. Mataram Basarnas Communication Staff Wisnu Satrio said here Friday that the search of the missing boat was started at 3 p.m. local time in a coordinate in the Maluk Strait waters, West Sumbawa. He said the nameless wooden boat carrying 50 illegal immigrants from the Middle East was heading for Australia. "The illegal immigrants managed to flutter a flag calling for help and seen by the rescuers on a boat of air water police (Polairud) Thursday afternoon at 9 pm local time, but the rescuers had difficulties to reach the distant crime scene in high waves," he said. Wisnu said the illegal immigrants did not wish to pass the information directly to the SAR team, and gave the information only through the Australian Consulate which then gave the information to the SAR team. He said that for further search to more distant areas, he has asked for the help of a Denpasar Basarnas rescue boat now underway to the crime scene in Maluk coastal waters, West Sumbawa. The ill-fated nameless wooden boat and the 50 illegal immigrants went down in southwest of Maluk Strait in Sumbawa Island Thursday afternoon. (*)