Reascue Team to Resume Diving Searching for More Bodies

Bakahueni, Lampung - A rescue team will resume diving here Monday to reach the wreckage of the ill-fated MV Bahuga Jaya lying 76 meters down the seabed in the Sunda Strait. More bodies of the passengers of the ferry which sank last week after a collision with a cargo ship are believed still being trapped inside the vessel. The wreckage of the ferry had been located last week but search for bodies failed as the wreckage continue to shift driven by strong current under the sea. The wreckage on Sunday shifted almost one mile from the original location where it sank on Wednesday last week. The team, therefore, had used Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus as a mark with concrete as a ballast to keep it from shifting. Today the team hopes to reach the wreckage easier in the sea bed, the team spokesman Agolo said. "We hope the team would reach the wreckage of the ferry easier today and search for possible more bodies in the vessel," Agolo said. Yanus Lentanga, head of PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry that operate ferry transport between Bakauheni and Merak has said there might be more bodies trapped inside the vessel. However most likely some of them were illegal passengers including pedlars boarding the ferry without ticket, Yanus said. He said all 213 registered passengers have been accounted for including the survivors, and dead and a number of missing passengers. Saidar R Jaya, the coordinator of the rescue team said his team has received reports from 26 people about missing relatives totaling 43 people after the accident. The ASDP office, however recorded only 6 passengers missing based on the official number of total passengers. (*)