PALANGKA RAYA – PROTOCOL AND PUBLIC COMMUNICATION BUREAU. Central Kalimantan Governor H. Sugianto Sabran directly participated to monitor and assist the evacuation of victims of water accident between the L300 longboat owned by the Provincial Forestry Office and a speedboat owned by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (KMC RBB Den Bekang XII Tpr) in Sabangau River, Palangka Raya, Monday afternoon (9/3/2020 ).

This water accident was precisely taken place in Tikung Murung, Sabaru Village, Sabangau District, not so far from the Kereng Bangkirai jetty.

The Presidential Security Forces of Indonesia and the staff of the Dutch Embassy rode the Indonesian National Armed Forces speedboat in order to check locations to secure VVIP visit by the King and Queen of the Netherlands. One of the seven victims passed away was 1011 / Kuala Kapuas District Military Commander Letkol Kav Bambang Kristianto Bawono. While the six other were employees of the Sebangau National Park Office, including the Head of Mangkok Resort Abdi Darmansyah.

Governor Sugianto Sabran directly joined the searching for victims from day to night together with the Indonesian National Armed Forces and Indonesian Police officers and other relevant officers, as well as the local community. The Governor was also accompanied with the Acting Head of Public Communication and Protocol Bureau of Central Kalimantan Regional Secretariate, 102 / Panju Panjung Military Commander Colonel Armet Syaiful Rizal, and a number of Central Kalimantan Police officials. The last victim was found dead at around 21:00 Western Indonesian Time (WIB) and was immediately taken to the morgue of Doris Sylvanus Hospital, Palangka Raya.

On Tuesday afternoon (10/3/2020), the Governor was scheduled to return to Kereng Bangkirai jetty to handover aid to local community who helped find the victims.

Meanwhile, the funeral service of 1011 / Kuala Kapuas District Military Commander Letkol Kav Bambang Kristianto Bawono was held in 102 / Panju Panjung Military Command Base, Tuesday morning (10/3/2020), before departing for the final resting place in Klaten, Central Java.

On the same day, Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar together with the Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry Alue Dohong and some staff attended the procession of funeral service of their staff at Sebangau National Park Office. “Today we release the best men and women of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry who have passed away while carrying out their duties,” said Minister Siti Nurbaya in her speech.

The Minister Siti Nurbaya together with all ranks of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry expressed their deep condolences and hoped that all parties could accept this accident sincerely and continue the struggle to advance Indonesia. Furthermore, after the funeral service procession, the Minister and her entourage visited the houses of victims who passed away in Sub District of Kereng Bangkirai, Sebangau District, Palangka Raya City, Kasongan, and Kapuas Regency. (ran/dew/jmk/udn/eka/fen/sop/translated by feb)