Appeal for greater maritime safety in Madang Province

A concerned senior citizen on Madang's Karkar Island is calling for greater maritime safety in the province.

Tony Dibul, a former captain in the PNG Defence Force, made the call this week following the recent sea mishaps in the country's maritime provinces.

"As an ordinary citizen who has travelled extensively by small craft throughout Madang Province over many years, I feel compelled to speak out on an issue that continues to put unnecessary lives at risk.

"Far too many boat operators continue to ignore maritime safety advisories, weather broadcasts, and the most basic safety requirements before putting to sea. This attitude is becoming increasingly dangerous and unacceptable," he said.

Just this past weekend, one dinghy carrying eight persons on board submerged and drifted from Saidor to Vidar before those on board were rescued. In another separate incident, another dinghy capsized outside Vidar.

Mr Dibul added, "Thankfully, no lives were lost in either incident, but that should not give us comfort. Instead, it should serve as a serious warning.

He said every one of these incidents trigger search and rescue operations involving volunteers, government agencies, and other boat operators who willingly risk their own lives to save others.

Mr Dibul further stated that these operations consume valuable time, fuel, equipment, and public resources. They expose rescuers to the very same dangerous sea conditions that caused the emergency in the first place.

The question we must ask ourselves is simple.

How many more warnings and near tragedies will it take before we change our attitude towards maritime safety?

"I commend the Madang Provincial Small Craft Registry Board for the progress it has made in registering small craft throughout the province. Registration is an important step towards improving maritime safety.

"However, registration alone is not enough.

"The Board, together with the responsible maritime authorities, must now place equal emphasis on enforcing the safety requirements that accompany registration.

"Compliance with maritime safety standards should not be treated as optional," he emphasised.

He said boat operators who continue to ignore weather and sea condition warnings, overload their vessels beyond safe carrying capacity, operate without sufficient life jackets for every passenger, fail to carry the required safety equipment, and operate vessels that do not comply with safety requirements should be prevented from departing.

"Where operators deliberately disregard these requirements and place lives at risk, the relevant authorities should not hesitate to prosecute offenders under the applicable maritime laws.

"Saving lives must take precedence over convenience or commercial gain," Dibul stated.

To passengers, Mr Dibul said that they also have a responsibility.

"Do not board a boat that is overloaded. Do not board a vessel that lacks life jackets or appears unsafe. If weather conditions are poor, postpone your journey. No appointment, cargo, or fare is worth a human life.

"For too long, we have accepted preventable maritime incidents as part of life along our coastline. They are not. Most of these incidents can be avoided if operators obey the law, respect the sea, and put safety first, he stressed.

Dibul clarified that he made this appeal not to criticise anyone but because he has witnessed too many unnecessary emergencies and too many rescue operations that could have been avoided.

"The sea will always command our respect. It does not forgive complacency, carelessness, or ignorance.

He appealed to everyone, including boat owners, operators, passengers, and authorities, to work together in order to ensure that every voyage begins safely and ends safely.

"One preventable death at sea is one too many," he said.