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INDONESIA
Blunder kills more after ferry fire
Authorities vowed Feb. 26 to investigate why accident investigators and reporters were allowed to board a fire-gutted Indonesian ferry that then capsized, killing one person and leaving three others missing.
"This is a bitter experience for us," said Setyo Rahardho, the head of the National Transport Safety Commission. "Journalists will not be allowed to accompany investigators any more."
The Levina 1 caught fire Feb. 22 early into a voyage from the capital, Jakarta, sending hundreds of panicked passengers jumping into the Java Sea. At least 49 people were killed, and the Indonesian Red Cross said the number could be nearly three times that.
The Japan Times Weekly: March 3, 2007 (C) All rights reserved
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