DEATH TOLL IN FERRY BOAT DISASTER REACHES 27

Tanjungpinang, Nov 23 (ANTARA) - The number of people found dead after "Dumai Express 10" ferry boat sank off Tokong Hiu, Karimun district, Riau Islands province, Sunday, reached 27 up to Sunday at 11.30 pm local time.

Of the 27 dead people, five could not yet be identified. Following are the names of the dead victims as announced by the Karimun Public Hospital:
1. Nurliya (30), resident of Kampung Baru, Batu Aji, Sagulung Batam
2. Amir Sirait (32), resident of Medan, North Sumatra.

3. Sri Ramadani Harahap (1.2 year old ), resident of Batam
4. Herlina Marken Silaban (44), resident of Batam
5. Afrizal Rahmadi (28), resident of Dumai
6. Ernawati (19), the address is not known.

7. Rio Agustama (9), resident of Batam
8. Juriati (55), resident of Padang Panjang, West Sumatra.

9. Ponian (56), (wife of Widodo), resident of Bengkalis, Riau
10.Yarlis (33), resident of Padang
11.Marwin (43), resident of Padang
12.Jihan (2.5), resident of Batam
13.Rika Putra S (26), resident of Seraya Atas, Batam
14.Darmansyah (30), resident of Batam
15.Bambang (24), resident of Tiban III, Batam
16. Laras (4,5), resident of Sagulung, Batam
17. Ny. Ramon (30), resident of Griya Pratama, Batam
18.Wulan (2), resident of Griya Pratama, Batam
19.Zahron Dongoran (30), resident of Sagulung, Batam
20. Amrion (40), resident of Sagulung, Batam
21.M Amri (28), residnet of Bengkalis
22.Erna (49), resident of Batam
Chief of the Operation Section of the Tanjungpinang Search and Rescue Team, Budi Cahyadi said here on Sunday evening that the number of survivors evacuated by a joint team, consisting rescue workers from the local naval base, security guards and water police personnel of Tanjungpinang, rose from 243 people earlier reported to 249.

The ill-fated ferry was sailing on the Batam-Bengkalis-Dumai route when it sank in the Karimun waters.
Cahyadi said that based on information from the ill-fated ship's agent, Dumai Express was carrying a total of 253 people on board, comprising 213 adult passengers, 25 children and 15 crew members.

However, with the evacuation of 249 survivors and 25 dead victims, the total number of people on board the ill-fated ferry might at least be 279, he said.

The cause of the accident is still unknown. But Basri Muhammad, a former sailor, believed that the vessel sank after big waves hit it. The waves in Karimun waters at that time were reported to reach four to six meters high.