PALMOILMAGAZINE, ARAFURU – The MT Koan tanker, carrying 3,300 tons of crude palm oil (CPO) from Korindo Group in the Regency of Boven Digoel, South Papua Province, sank in the Arafura Sea on Wednesday (14/2/2024).
Bripka Yakob Kundrat Halirat, the Post Commander of BKO Ditpolairud Maluku Police, along with his officers and a search and rescue (SAR) team, successfully evacuated the crew to Saumlaki, in the Regency of Kepulauan Tanimbar.
According to the crew, the tanker embarked on its journey from the Digoel River in Asiki, Regency of Boven Digoel, South Papua Province, on February 10, 2024, bound for Tanjung Perak Port in the City of Surabaya. On Wednesday (14/2/2024) at 06:00 WIT, the tanker began tilting to the right side, indicating that seawater had entered either the vessel’s bilge or the anchor compartment.
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As Palmoilmagazine.com quoted from Malukuterkini, the crew did not make it to pump the sea water, or use ballast pump for the water was too much. Besides, the high wave at 4 – 5 meters at the time made the situation worse. The tanker eventually got sank on Thursday (15/2/2024) at 04.30 WIT.
The captain instructed the crews to gather in the evacuation spot. During the evacuation, they used two life crafts. After having communication with anyone by using handy talk to get help, Tanker MT Hafnia Petler with Singaporean Flag delivered help after 11 hours.
The SAR team got into the spot and successfully evacuated 18 crews. They were moved to the ship of Polairud Maluku Police Department and taken to Laut Saumlaki Port. Until Friday (16/2/2024), 4 crews were still cured at PP Magreti Saumlaki Hospital, they were, Rohmad Saiful Anwar (32) Mualim I, Rahamdi (28) Mualim III, Kiki Weldi (37) Juru Las, and Ayu Airin Laihan (24) Koki. (T2)
