faces five years in prison

“(The captain) remains detained at the Manggarai Occidental police station (west of Flores Island)” next to the chief engineer of the boatthe other accused, regional prosecutor Pradewa Artha confirmed to Efe.

Both had been identified as suspects on January 8, following the investigation opened after the sinking of the tourist boat KM Putri Sakinah in the waters of Padar Island – in the Komodo National Park – around 8:30 p.m. local time on December 26 (12:30 GMT) with 11 people on board, including a Spanish family of six members.

The Indonesian authorities found days after the accident the bodies of Fernando Martín, former soccer player and coach of the Valencia CF women’s B team; a son of this, Mateo, 9 years old; and Lía, 12 years old, daughter of Martín’s wife, Andrea Ortuño, who was rescued along with another of her daughters, 7 years old.

The operation could not find a minor under 10 years old, Quiqueson of the survivor and an ex-partner.

The other five occupants of the ship, the captain and crew members, survived, including Andrea Ortuño.

He handed over control to the chief engineer

According to the investigation, the captain of the ship, identified as L. and 52 years oldwas not at the controls of the ship at the time of the accident and had handed over the baton to the chief engineer, MD, 23 years old.

“L. was negligent in not taking responsibility for his position,” points to Efe Fransiskus Jelahu, head of Public Relations of the West Manggarai Police (district in the west of the island of Flores where the accident occurred).

The captain authorized the chief engineer to direct the ship in his place, who “accepted the job without taking into account his position” and who lacked legal permissions to take command of the ship, the officer noted.

The Police, who questioned 18 witnesses and analyzed several expert reports, concluded the investigation last Wednesday and transferred the case to the Prosecutor’s Office, pending a date for the start of the trial to be determined.

Before their arrest, both remained on provisional release with the obligation to go to the police station from time to time.

The authorities initially attributed the sinking to the loss of the engine, although they later indicated to Efe which could have been due to a “unusual and unpredictable” marine phenomenon which caused the large waves that would have knocked down the ship.