Divers Search Indonesian Lake for Nearly 200 Missing after Ferry Sinks

 

Relatives of the more than 190 people missing¹ after a boat sank on Lake Toba in Sumatra have asked government officials for a bigger search.

The families also criticized² the Indonesian government for ignoring unsafe conditions on passenger boats.

Disaster officials have raised the number of dead several times. Family members arrived at Lake Toba in northern Sumatra to seek information. But, there was no passenger list for the overcrowded wooden ferry.

Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi and the chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency³, Muhammad Syaugi, spoke⁴ to reporters about the incident. The officials said the boat was built to hold 43 passengers, but was carrying about 200. It had only 45 life jackets designed to keep passengers from drowning.

Only 18 survivors⁶ were found within hours of the sinking on Monday. The boat sank in deep water half a kilometer from a popular island.

It is possible many victims are still inside the sunken ferry, said North Sumatra province police chief Paulus Waterpau.

“Many survivors told authorities⁷ that less than half of them had jumped into the water before the boat sank,” he told The Associated Press.

Suwarni had a 20-year-old son who was with his girlfriend on the ferry. She criticized the search and rescue operation as slow.

“What kind of government is this that can’t protect their own people from unnecessary accidents?” she asked.

The search has involved 350 people but they have found few bodies. Syaugi said only four deaths were confirmed after three more bodies were found on Wednesday.

Syaugi defended the search effort, saying that the agency, police, military and other personnel⁸ have been working “all out” and non-stop. The search may continue for another 10 days.

Survivor⁵ Juwita Sumbayak said she had crossed the lake many times on the same boat. She said it was overcrowded on Monday because of the holiday for the end of the Muslim holy month.

The mother cried uncontrollably as she spoke to a reporter. She called out the names of her husband and children who she believes drowned inside the boat.

She said that about 20 minutes after the ferry left, high waves caused it to list to the right and take on water, which caused the passengers to panic. After it was hit by additional⁹ waves, it seemed to shake and then it capsized.

“Many passengers without a life jacket jumped into the deep lake, but others drowned with the boat,” she said. “I jumped, I cried with fear.” She saw many people in the water “but nobody can help.”

Another survivor, Riko Saputra, said that many motorcycles packed on one side of the boat caused it to list. He said he was in the water for about an hour before he was rescued. He believed he only survived by holding onto a helmet.

Cellphone video released¹⁰ earlier in the week by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency showed the crew of another ferry trying to rescue people in the waters shortly after the sinking. But bad weather and rough waters held them back.

The disaster comes as tens of millions Indonesians return home for the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.

Sumadi, the transport minister, said that all 40 ferry operators¹¹ on Lake Toba are being suspended¹² and examined by the government until they show they are following safety rules.

Lake Toba is popular with tourists on the island of Sumatra. The Indonesian government hopes to develop the area for increased tourism.

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

ferry – n. a boat used to take passengers to a place

drone – n a type of small aircraft that flies without a pilot

tourist – n. one who visits a place for pleasure

list –v. to lean to one side

panic – v. to become filled with fear

capsize – v. to turn so that the bottom is on top

helmet – n. a hard hat that is worn to protect your head

1 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

2 criticized   

vt.批评(criticize的过去式)v.评论，批评( criticize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The decision was criticized by environmental groups. 这个决定受到了环保团体的批评。
• The movie has been criticized for apparently legitimizing violence. 这部电影因明显地美化暴力而受到了指责。

3 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 survivor   

n.生存者，残存者，幸存者

参考例句：

• The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
• There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。

6 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

7 authorities   

n.当局，权力，权威；权威( authority的名词复数 )；权力；学术权威；[复数]当权者

参考例句：

• They interceded with the authorities on behalf of the detainees. 他们为被拘留者向当局求情。
• At his instigation we conceal the fact from the authorities. 我们受他的怂恿向当局隐瞒了事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 personnel   

n.[总称]人员，员工，人事部门

参考例句：

• The personnel are not happy to change these rules.全体工作人员对改变这些规定很不高兴。
• Personnel has lost my tax forms.人事部门把我的税收表格给弄丢了。

9 additional   

adj.添加的，额外的，另外的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to set down these additional rules.有必要制定这些补充规则。
• I think we can fit in an additional room.我想我们可以再加建一间房子。

10 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

11 operators   

n.（某企业的）经营者( operator的名词复数 )；（机器、设备等的）操作员；电话接线员；投机取巧者

参考例句：

• A plethora of new operators will be allowed to enter the market. 大批新的运营商将获准进入该市场。 来自辞典例句
• Green house operators have considerable opportunity for precise manipulation of nutrients. 温室管理员有很多机会来准确控制养分。 来自辞典例句

12 suspended   

a.被暂时搁置的

参考例句：

• A lamp was suspended from the ceiling. 一盏吊灯悬在天花板上。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area. 英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。