At least three tourists have died across the province of Bangka Belitung islands this week.
On Saturday, a tourist identified as 67-year old Rozali died when a boat he boarded capsized on the way to Lengkuas island in Belitung. However, rescuers were fast enough to save other passengers from the boat and quickly sought medical help.
On the same day, two other tourists died while spending holidays in different tourist destinations in the province. Alif, an 8-year-old boy, drowned in a swimming pool at Pasir Padi Bay Waterpark in Pangkalpinang, while 25-year-old Shalian passed away after snorkeling in Ketawai island, Central Bangka Regency.
A disaster mitigation agency officer in Bangka Belitung Islands pointed out that the management of these tourist destinations have failed to comply with the safety standards of services. Bangka Belitung Islands Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head, Mikron Antariksa added that the managements did not follow the appropriate safety procedures while providing services because they were more focused on increasing profits during the holidays.
“For example, they rent out their inflatable banana boats or jet skis until nighttime,” Mikron said. According to him, the agency must provide instructions about safety procedures at tourism spots across Bangka Belitung islands. “We advise the management to check their equipment regularly so it doesn’t break during the holiday season,” Mikron concluded.
Source: The Jakarta Post
Image: Idn times