Indonesia Summons British Envoy over Coral Damaged by Ship

British cruise ship damages pristine Indonesian coral reef.

Jakarta, 18 Jumadil Akhir 1438/17 March 2017 (MINA) – The Indonesian government has summoned the British ambassador to discuss compensation for the destruction of coral reefs by a cruise ship chartered by a UK-based tour company.

The 4,200-ton cruise ship MV Caledonian Sky ran aground on coral reefs in the waters of Raja Ampat in West Papua province on March 4, causing extensive damage in a tourist area known for outstanding marine biodiversity, belfasttelegraph.co.uk.

Indonesia’s senior minister for maritime affairs, Luhut Pandjaitan, summoned Ambassador Moazzam Malik on Friday to discuss the damage.

Mr Malik expressed disappointment over the incident and promised to help the government investigate and seek restitution for the damage.

The tour operator, London-based Noble Caledonia, has acknowledged responsibility for the damage and said it is working toward “a fair and realistic settlement”. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)