MV Teratai Prima

History
Name: MV Teratai Prima
Operator: PT Nur Budi
Launched: 1999
Fate: Sunk in the Makassar Strait after encountering stormy weather on January 11, 2009.
Status: Sunk.
General characteristics
Tonnage: 700
Capacity: 250 passengers
Crew: 17

The MV Teratai Prima was an Indonesian ferry that sank on January 11, 2009, around 04:00 local time (January 10, 21:00 UTC) in the Makassar Strait off West Sulawesi due to stormy weather.[1] Survivors stated that the ferry had been slammed by 4-metre (13 ft) waves twice. The first one hit so hard that the ship became unbalanced (witnesses said the angle approached 30 degrees), before another wave hit from a different direction and sunk the vessel.

Based on the manifest of the ship before sailing, the ferry was carrying 250 passengers and 17 crew at the time of sinking. However, it is believed that the vessel actually was bringing more. Some speculation say that it had over 300 passengers when it was leaving the coast of Pare-Pare. By January 17, 42 people (including the ship's captain) were believed to have been rescued by fishermen and searchers.[2] The captain is being investigated for allegedly ignoring warnings from the Indonesian weather agency that conditions on the crossing were too dangerous.[1] The ferry was making an overnight journey from Pare-Pare, South Sulawesi to Samarinda, East Kalimantan.[3][4]

Smaller vessels were directed to abandon the search while four navy warships and two patrol boats continued the search for survivors. Sunaryo, a transport ministry maritime official, said, "We are facing very bad weather and rough seas. We don't want to take any risks by sending small boats."[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "More than 250 feared dead after cyclone sinks Indonesian ferry". CBC News. January 12, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
  2. ↑ "SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS OF MV TERATAI PRIMA TO BE CALLED OFF". Yahoo News, Maylasia. January 17, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Indonesian ferry sinks in storm". BBC News. January 11, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Indonesian ferry sinks with 267 on board". The Guardian. January 11, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Hopes dim in Indonesia sea search". BBC News. January 13, 2009. Retrieved January 13, 2009.

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