Pakistan Tuesday confirmed that 37 of its nationals
have died after a ship sank in waters off the Indonesian East Java this
month.
The wooden ship carrying about 250 illegal migrants seeking for
asylum to Australia sank at about 40 nautical miles from TPI Prigi beach
of Trenggalek district of East Java on December 18.
Pakistan Interior Ministry said that it has made efforts to
facilitate the transportation of dead bodies of 37 Pakistani youths
drowned in the Jawa Sea.
All those died belong to Pakisran's southwestern Balochistan province, an Interior Ministry statement said.
Federal Secretary Interior met with the Indonesian Ambassador in
Islamabad and thanked Indonesian government for their all-out support
provided to the Pakistan Embassy in Jakarta for transportation of dead
bodies of 37 Pakistani youths and searching for the survivors.
The Indonesian Ambassador said that they have issued visas to six
relatives of the victims for identification of the dead bodies and
helping in the arrangements of their shifting to Quetta, the capital of
Balochistan province, the statement said.
The ill-fated ship was heading to Christmas Island of Australia, according to Indonesia officials.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry Monday referred to unconfirmed reports
that the passengers also included over 50 Pakistani nationals.
The Ministry said that Pakistani Embassy in Jakarta has set up an
emergency cell which is working round the clock in coordination with the
relevant authorities in Quetta for identification of the nationality of
the deceased.
The Consular Team of the Embassy has already met six Pakistani survivors in Surabaya Island, he said.
Indonesia has been a favorable transit points for illegal immigrants
from the Middle East heading to Australia. But, they are frequently
encountered with sea accidents as they take the journey with lack of
safety standard, and the huge waves in the ocean could hit and collapse
their small ship or boat, leaving dozens fatalities. Xinhua
