Fisherman Rescued After Escaping Murderous Crewmates

A fisherman who jumped overboard to escape murderous crewmates has been rescued after three days in the water, according to Indonesia’s directorate of sea transportation.

On Wednesday, December 11, Indonesian maritime authorities dispatched a patrol ship to rendezvous with the bulker Sikinos. The merchant ship had found and rescued a fisherman who was floating in the water with a lifejacket on. When the patrol boat P 349 picked him up and brought him to the pier at Selayang, East Kalimantan, local officials found that he had a story to tell.

The Survivor’s Story

The survivor identified himself as Afif Efendy, 37, and said that he had jumped over the side from the fishing vessel KM Putri Ayu three days prior. Last month the Putri Ayu departed from Jepara, on the north side of central Java, and it got under way on a fishing voyage. Efendy was a new crewmember, and he said that he was disliked by the older fishermen on the crew. Over the course of 17 days aboard, he was beaten, kicked, and threatened by several other crewmembers, he told the authorities, and was forced to work from 0800 until nightfall without stopping.

As the voyage progressed, the threats escalated, and some of the older crewmembers told Efendy that they would kill him if he did not jump overboard. On the 17th day of the voyage, two crewmembers threatened Efendy with knives and forced him to jump into the sea, he said. Choosing an uncertain chance of survival, Efendy put on a life jacket and jumped overboard.

He said that he floated at sea for three days before being found by the Sikinos. The P 349 retrieved him from the bulker and delivered him safely to shore for a medical evaluation.