200 Feared Dead in Indonesia Sea Accident

[skooooo]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=924781&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

JAKARTA, Indonesia Jul 9, 2005 — As many as 200 people were feared dead days after a ferry capsized in rough seas off eastern Indonesia, a rescue official said Sunday.

The 150-ton KMP Digul sank Thursday night off the coast of Papua province while heading from the port town of Merauke to Tanah Merah, about 124 miles to the north, said Sumpeno Juono of the local Search and Rescue agency.

The ferry was officially reported to be carrying 50 crew and passengers. But survivors said about 200 people were onboard, Sumpeno told The Associated Press. So far, only 15 two crewmen and 13 passengers have been found.

[brindis_desala]

1. Life remains far more perilous for some than others. This is sad.

[Ian David]

2. Yes, it is. And it gets worse....

These ferries tend to be dangerously over-loaded.

When they capsize in Muslim countries, the women are almost all wearing heavy burkas that weigh them down and make them more likely to drown.

To make things even worse, the cultural norm is to reserve lifeboats for the men first, and let the women fend for themselves (because women aren't as important).

And then there's the sharks...

I remember reading an article about that years ago, about a much larger ferry accident.

Anyway, thanks to tort reform, we too, here in America, will soon be able to allow "market forces" to determine the load a ferry can carry without worrying about legal liability.