West Sumatra's Fisherman Dies At Sea

Padang, W Sumatra, April 17 (Antara) - Search and Rescue (SAR) team found a fisherman, identified as Fitriadi, resident of Ulak Karang subdistrict in Padang, West Sumatra, died in the sea around Bonta Island. Edi Asri, head of Padang city`s Disaster Mitigation division of fire brigade affairs office, said here on Wednesday that the fisherman went missing on Saturday (April 13) when he was fishing at 9.00 a.m. local time. According to Edi, several fishermen found Fitriadi`s body floating near his fishing boat around the Bonta Island. Fitriadi is cooperatives member of the "Anak Muaro" Ulak Karang, Padang. The fishermen then reported Fitriadi`s body to the city`s Disaster Mitigation division to be sought. The SAR team brought the dead fisherman from the sea to Ulak Karang beach and then handed the body to victim`s family for burial process. Meanwhile, Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has asked fishermen not to go fishing on Saturday due to large waves that may reach three meters high. In the meantime, West Sumatra governor Irwan Prayitno said in Padang recently that the provincial government allocated a total of Rp10.45 billion to help alleviate 1,420 fishermen families in the 2011-2015 period. The government assistance in fund that is derived from the 2013 state budget will be used to finance 38 business activities which will involve fishermen and organized by personnel of the local maritime and fisheries affairs office, the governor said. According to him, the fishermen alleviation program will be conducted in stages. The alleviation program is expected to cover 248 families in 2013, 310 families in 2014 and 372 families in 2015, he disclosed.