Collision between ferry, fishing boat leaves one dead off North Sumatra

One person was killed while six others were injured following a collision between a passenger ferry and a fishing vessel off North Sumatra, Indonesia, on Sunday, August 23.

The incident occurred at approximately 20:00 local time on Sunday when the Ro-Pax ferry Wira Glory struck and badly damaged the fishing vessel Sinar Mas Jaya in the waters of Sibolga Bay.

Responding search and rescue (SAR) teams later arrived at the scene and evacuated seven injured crewmembers from the fishing vessel to a hospital on North Sumatra.

One of the injured crewmen, who has been identified as Sinar Mas Jaya‘s captain, was later pronounced dead.

A local police official said Sinar Mas Jaya had just left Beringin on North Sumatra and was headed out to sea when it came into contact with Wira Glory, which was sailing from the opposite direction and was en route to the nearby Port of Sibolga.

A port official said the ferry’s captain had sounded his siren and flashed his warning lights as the two vessels approached but the fishing vessel was unable to manoeuvre out of the way in time.

The incident remains under investigation.