Ferry Passengers Selective in Taking Ships

Bakauheni, Lampung (Antara Bali) - Returning Idul Figri travelers at Bakauheni ferry port of Lampung, Sumatra, said they were selective in taking ferries to cross the Sunda Strait to Java.

"We have to be selective to avoid a possible fire incident such as that which happened with ferries several times in the past," Susi, a passenger of a ferry at Bakauheni port said on Sunday morning.

She said passengers were waiting for ferries whose conditions were really good to avoid fire such as that which took place on KMP Bahuga Pratam ferry recently.

Susi said that fire incidents had taken place several times on ferries at the Sunda Strait. She said that to avoid fire incidents the relevant parties such as port administrators and PT Indonesia Ferry should conduct a routine inspection on the ships' conditions before they sail.

"If a ship is not worthy, it should not get recommendation for sailing," she said. Rahamat, another passenger, said that travelers now were prepared to wait for the arrival of a ferry whose conditions were better before they got on the ship.

"If the conditions of a ship look bad, we had better wait the arrival of the other," he said. (*/DWA)