Eighteen Indonesian nationals survive blaze on Japanese Vessel: official

Jakarta, March 16 (Antara) - Eighteen Indonesian nationals on board the Japanese FV Shofuku Maru 78 vessel, which caught fire in the northwestern Australian Sea, have been rescued, and all of them survived, noted an Indonesian Consulate's official in Perth. According to a statement received by Antara here on Monday, the Consulate in Perth was informed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), via the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, that the FV Shofuku Maru 78 vessel caught fire 358 nautical miles in the northwest sea of Dampier City, West Australia, on Sunday (March 15). While the Japanese vessel was engulfed in flames, Greek's MV Axios tanker assisted in rescuing the 24 crew members on board, including 18 Indonesians and six Japanese. The Consulate in Perth had contacted a representative of the Indonesian ship's crew, who confirmed that all on board the ship are safe and in good condition. The AMSA has also collaborated with the Australian Search and Rescue agency to evacuate the Indonesian ship's crew to Port Hedland, which is located in proximity to the incident site and is about 1,648 kilometers of northern Perth. The 18 Indonesian crew members arrived at Port Hedland on Sunday night, at around 9 p.m. local time. Currently, they are staying at a hotel provided by the Consulate while awaiting their repatriation to Indonesia.