VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Operations Director Military Brigadier General TNI (Mar) Rasman confirmed a Basarnas ship colliding with a Transportation Ministry's ship during Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 search operations in the Kepulauan Seribu waters.

"The Basarnas ship incurred slight damage, but it did not hinder the operations," Rasman remarked upon confirmation in Jakarta, Tuesday.

The Basarnas operations director explained that the Basarnas ship had collided with a ship belonging to the Ministry of Transportation's Directorate General of Sea Transportation that was part of the SAR operation. The incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday owing to bad weather, he noted.

Strong ocean currents developed in such weather that made the two ships unstable, thereby resulting in them colliding while anchoring.

"The currents were so strong that when the ship was anchored, it was not well under control and eventually drifted too close to the other ship and led to a collision," he explained.

Despite the collision, Rasman explained that the agency's ship continued to conduct search operations for victims of the Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 and was currently in the waters of Kepulauan Seribu.

The combined search and rescue (SAR) operation is currently into its 11th day and is on its second extension until January 21, 2021.

The joint SAR team deployed some 60 ships from several agencies in addition to 21 boats and marine main equipment as well as dozens of ambulances.

The joint SAR team is also supported by three ships with the ability to detect underwater objects, including the KRI Rigel Ship, Baruna Jaya, and the Ara Ship. (Antaranews)