Office awaiting more info on boat tragedy

THE Disaster Office in Madang is still trying to piece together information on the boat mishap last Friday in which a woman and her daughter died, and her husband still missing.
Acting disaster officer director Rudolf Mongallee is in Port Moresby but a spokesperson in his office said yesterday that they were yet to be fully informed of what happened. They only knew about the Friday incident yesterday through the media.
Madang police have questioned the skipper and owner of the boat.
A senior police officer said the incident should remind the Madang administration to set up a Small Craft Registration Authority to conduct more awareness on sea travel which a lot of people in the coastal areas depended on.
The seven-metre boat with a 60 horse-power engine was travelling from Madang town to Saidor station when it capsized near Tabalip Point last Friday afternoon. It was carrying 20 people, including three children.
A mother and daughter died and the father remains missing at sea. The remaining 17 were rescued by a vessel belonging to Ramu NiCo carrying a Chinese embassy delegation which was travelling from Basamuk to Madang.
The 17 were taken to the Modilon General Hospital by police and Ramu NiCo officials.