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Indonesian President orders overhaul of water transport safety rules

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JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo has ordered an overhaul of water transportation safety standards in the wake of the accident in Lake Toba, North Sumatra, where a boat believed to be carrying hundreds of people capsized in the 500m deep lake on Monday.

"I am asking for this kind of accident to not happen again and I have ordered the transportation minister to evaluate all safety standards for water transportation," Mr Joko said on Wednesday.

The accident in Lake Toba has highlighted the lack of safety procedures for water transportation.

The authorities have struggled to provide information on the number of people on the boat, which appears to have sailed without a permit. The operator has refused to release a manifest listing the vessel's cargo, passengers and crew, and it is unclear if the document exists.

The KM Sinar Bangun had the capacity to carry 43 people, but it is believed that the number of people on board exceeded 200.

Indonesian police told AFP the captain - also the boat's owner - has been detained. He has not been questioned as he is "still traumatised". Identified as Tua Sagala, the captain was among 18 people rescued. - JAKARTA POST/ANN, AFP

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