Indonesian Government Repatriates 6 Crew Killed in Tanker Capsize in Japan

TheIndonesia.id - The Ministry of Transportation stated that repatriation of the bodies of six Indonesians, who became victims of a tanker capsize incident in Japan, is carried out in stages.

“The delivery of bodies from Fukuoka to Tokyo began yesterday. Upon arrival in Tokyo, they will be repatriated to Jakarta in stages,” the ministry’s Director of Shipping and Maritime Affairs, Hartanto, stated in a statement on Thursday.

The repatriation is expected to take place on April 3-8.

The ministry is cooperating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to repatriate the bodies of six crew members who died after the South Korean-flagged Keoyoung Sun tanker overturned in the Shimonoseki waters, Japan, on Wednesday.

He noted that 11 crew members, comprising eight Indonesians, two South Koreans, and one Chinese national, were onboard the chemical tanker.

"The cause of the incident is still being investigated, but it is possibly caused by bad weather," he remarked, as quoted by Antara.

He stated that the Directorate General of Sea Transportation will continue to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the crew manning agency of each of the victims regarding their rights' fulfillment.

"We, along with relevant institutions, will continue to search for missing victims," he said.

Director for Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Judha Nugraha, stated that of the eight Indonesians, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) confirmed the finding of six bodies, while one Indonesian crew member, Ryan Yudatama Lizar, was found safe.

Nugraha remarked that the JCG is still conducting a search for an Indonesian named Asep Saepudin.

Lizar is currently on the path to recovery after being discharged from the hospital where he had been treated on Tuesday.

"If everything runs smoothly, it is planned that Lizar will return to Indonesia on April 1 or 2," Nugraha said.