A motor vessel carrying eight people, including member of the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP) Yonas Nussy, was reported to have lost contact on Saturday afternoon, a police officer said.
The twin engine boat, owned by the DPRP, was sailing from Jayapura to Serui in Yapen Islands District, Papua Province, on Saturday at 01:00 a.m. local time, Papua Police Spokesperson Sen.Coms.Ahmad Musthofa said.
One of the boat’s passengers called one of the council’s officials at midday informing him that they were still around the Kurudu Island or Tanjung Andei waters, he told journalists here Sunday.
The passenger, however, could not be called back at around 3 p.m. local time on Saturday. As of Sunday afternoon, the DPRP’s boat had yet to reach Serui, the capital of Yapen Islands District, he said.
Musthofa said he received the report of the ill-fated boat that might have gone missing in the waters of Yapen islands District from the council’s official, Marvin Rumkorem, on early Sunday morning.
To search for the missing boat, the Serui police officers had coordinated with their counterparts from the town’s Search and Rescue Agency, he said.
Seven other people aboard the vessel are identified as Jefri Robaha, Alex Donggori, Akwila Waromi, Derek Maniani, Andre Fonataba, Alfred Krisipu, and Kareni, he added.
Source: Antara News