REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JEMBER -- The death toll from the sinking of "KM Joko Berek" in East Java Province has risen to six, after the fishing boat's skipper, Dirman, died on the way to a local hospital, the Jember District Disaster Mitigation Agency's authority said.

The ill-fated fishing vessel, carrying 21 crew members, capsized in Plawangan Puger waters of Jember District, East Java Province, after being hit by giant waves on Thursday at 08.15 a.m. local time.

"Dirman, 50, died while being transported to a local hospital," Heru Widagdo, head of the agency's emergency and logistics unit, stated here.

The local rescue workers had found five other bodies of the ship's crew earlier. The accident also left seven crew members missing, while eight others survived, he explained.

Besides Dirman, five other victims were identified as Cecep, 45; Soim, 50; Hasan, 50; Hadi, 21; and Ulum, 35. They were the residents of Puger Kulon and Tutul Villages in Puger and Balung Subdistricts, Jember District, East Java Province, he noted.

The search and rescue efforts continued until Thursday evening, but the seven missing fishermen were yet to be found by the rescue workers, consisting of local navy and police officers, voluntary fishermen, and the victims' family members, he revealed.

Sea accidents frequently occurred around the Plawangan Puger waters after several wave breakers installed here were damaged or malfunctioned. This has caused giant waves of the South Java Sea to more easily hit many local fishing boats heading to their fishing port.

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