Fisherman Dies After Sailing Despite Illness to Support His Family

SR, a 33-year-old crew member of the KM Cirebon Indah 5, died while the fishing vessel was sailing in waters north of Tegal. The crew member, who lived in Paleleh district, Buol regency, Central Sulawesi, had reportedly been in poor health before the voyage.

Captain Sujono said SR had initially been told not to join the trip because of his condition. He nevertheless decided to sail because he wanted to provide for his family.

On Tuesday, Sept. 1, at about 10 a.m., crew member Defis Kurniawan went to the rear cabin to wake SR for a meal. SR did not respond, prompting Kurniawan to call the captain and other crew members. Sujono then checked on him and found that he showed no signs of life.

The incident was reported to the vessel’s owner, Budi Hermanto, also known as Aciu, who instructed the crew to return immediately to Cirebon. The KM Cirebon Indah 5 docked at the PSDKP mooring pier at Kejawanan Nusantara Fishing Port at about 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

Officers from the KPC police sector, the Cirebon City Water and Air Police Unit, and other agencies helped move the body from the vessel. An ambulance then took SR to Gunung Jati Hospital for medical examination and further procedures before his remains were handed to his family.