TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Marine and Fisheries Ministry sent a team to Raja Ampat, West Papua, to assess the damage suffered by coral reefs recently hit by a Bahamian-flag ship the Caledonian Sky.

"The team has departed. We conducted an evaluation of the damages immediately after the incident," said Chief of Cooperation and Public Information Bureau of the Ministry Lily Aprilya when contacted by Tempo on Sunday, March 12, 2017

The Directorate of Marine Spatial and the Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision were also included in the team, which had just arrived on Sunday, March 12, 2017.

Before the Ministry's team had arrived, a local team from Sorong and the Kupang Marine Conservation Area National Agency together with a task force of the Directorate General of Marine and Fisheries Resources Supervision has been working on assessing the damage suffered by the coral reefs a few days ago.

Director General of Marine Spatial Bramantya Satyamurti said that the team will hold a meeting with other respective parties. "We will prepare steps that will be taken by the government against the cruise ship," Bramantya said.

The Caledonian Sky is a cruise ship registered in the Bahamas owned by cruise operator Caledonian Noble. The 90-meters long ship hit the coral reefs in the waters of Raja Ampat while sailing to Waigeo Island back on March 4, 2017.

EGI ADYATAMA