Ternate, North Maluku (ANTARA) - North Maluku governor candidate Benny Laos has died after the Bella 72 speedboat that he boarded caught fire at the Bobong village port in the province's Taliabu Island District on Saturday afternoon.
"Despite efforts exerted to save him at 5:20 p.m. local time (UTC +9), the doctors declared that Benny Laos has died," Bobong Public Hospital Head Cecilia Octavia Mbotengu said on Saturday evening.
The late governor candidate died at the age of 52 and became one of six people who died in the Bella 72 speedboat fire.
Five other casualties comprised a member of the North Maluku Legislative Body from the Democratic Party, Ester Tanri; the North Maluku-based United Development Party (PPP) leader, Mubin A. Wahid, and three police officers.
Meanwhile, five people had reportedly received medical treatment at local medical facilities.
The Bella 72 speedboat caught fire while refuelling at the Bobong village port on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. local time. The fire caused the boat to sink and listed on the port side partially.
Ternate SAR Office Head Fathurrahman stated that the boat manifest information received by his side revealed that there were 40 people boarding the vessel, including Laos' campaign team members and local officers.
Laos, who served as the North Maluku's Morotai Island district head from 2017 to 2022, ran for governorship with Sarbin Sehe, a former head of the province's Religious Affairs Office.
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Translator: Abdul Fatah, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
