FAMILIES WARMLY WELCOME CAPSIZED SHIP'S CREW

Mamuju, W Sulawesi, Feb 16 (ANTARA)- Four capsized Kabir Jaya XI cargo ship's crew members arrived at a local fish market port here Tuesday with the warm welcome from their respective families.

The vessel's crew members were found alive and rescued by an Ambo Island's fisherman on Sunday after floating on the Makassar Strait waters for three days.

The survivors' families looked crying when seeing them for the first time since their evacuation from the sea.

Head of the Mamuju Coastal Radio Station Cahaya Hamal said the ill-fated ship loading oranges sank three days ago amid bad weather on its sailing from Sempo sub-district in West Sulawesi to a seaport in East Kalimantan Province port.

The four survivors were identified as the 33-year-old captain, Sahabuddin, Amin (24), Masriadi (26) and Busman (19) -- all were crew members, Hamal said.

"They are all the residents of Luaor village in Pamboang sub-district, Majene regency, West Sulawesi Province," he said.

An Ambo Island's fisherman, named Mette, found them floating on the Makassar Strait waters on Sunday. They were then evacuated to the island, he said.

The sinking Kabir Jaya XI captain, Sahabuddin, said he deplored the Mamuju port's authority who had permitted him to sail amid the bad weather.

"We got the sailing permit from the Mamuju port authority with which we sailed. But the weather was so unfriendly," he said.