Two Indonesian Consulate General's Staffers Killed

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Two staff members of the Indonesian Consulate General in Jidda were reported killed in a traffic accident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press statement on Saturday.

"The Consulate General's Integrated Service Team (Yandu) has had an accident in which two of its staffers were killed," Syarif Shahabudin, spokesman of the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI), said in the press statement.

He said that apart from the victims who died in the accident, one staff official has been hospitalized in critical condition at al-Nasir Hospital, some 650 km south of Jidda.

Syarif said the team consisted of seven KJRI staff officials, including the driver. The team was planning to conduct a routine outreach program, providing integrated consular, immigration and manpower services in Najran City.

A teacher from Jidda Indonesian School (SIJ), Suranianto, also joined the team as an elections drop-box officer to assist during upcoming legislative elections in that region in April 2014.

The team departed from Jidda in a vehicle on Thursday night, March 27, at 9 pm local time. After traveling about 650 km from Jidda, and arriving at the road leading to Najran City, a tire on the vehicle burst at 5 a.m.

The vehicle rolled several times, said officials. "The other five staffers were safe, but suffered minor injuries," Syarif said. (M038)