4 Rescued After Tugboat Sinks In Indonesia’s Anambas Waters Amid Severe Weather

Four crew members were rescued after an Indonesian tugboat sank in the waters off the Anambas Islands in Riau Islands Province after encountering strong winds and high waves, authorities said.

The crew, including the captain, survived for about three hours in an inflatable life raft before being rescued on Saturday night (July 25) by the South Korean-flagged cargo vessel MV Shanghai Voyager, which spotted them in the waters off the Anambas Islands and alerted Indonesian search and rescue authorities.

A joint search and rescue (SAR) team later evacuated the four survivors to Tarempa Regional General Hospital for medical examinations.

Anambas Islands Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner I Gusti Ngurah Agung Budianaloka said the survivors were Captain Zulkifli and crew members Arbain, Dodi and Tawakal.

“The four survivors were found by the foreign vessel after escaping in a life raft and surviving at sea for approximately three hours,” Budianaloka said on Sunday.

He said initial medical checks showed all four were safe and in good health.

According to preliminary information, the tugboat TB AOM 787 was towing a barge through the Anambas waters when it encountered severe weather with strong winds and high waves.

The rough weather caused the tugboat to lose stability. The crew cut the towing line connecting the tugboat to the barge in an attempt to regain control, but the vessel remained unstable.

Shortly after separating from the barge, the tugboat capsized and sank at around 1 p.m. local time on Saturday.

Members of the joint SAR team also faced high waves and strong winds during the rescue operation.

The operation involved personnel from Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency, the Indonesian National Armed Forces and the National Police after MV Shanghai Voyager reported the incident.

Budianaloka urged maritime transport operators and the public to prioritise safety and check weather conditions before sailing.

“Safety must remain the top priority in every activity at sea. We urge everyone to remain vigilant, especially during bad weather,” he said.

The four rescued crew members remain in good health after medical examinations. Authorities have not released further information on the sunken tugboat or the barge it had been towing.

References: batampos, antaranews