Two (2) female students are recovering from trauma after a banana boat carrying 33 students from the Institute of Business Studies University (IBSU) capsized between Gemo Island and the oil refinery at Napanapa outside of Port Moresby last Wednesday, Police say.
Water Police director Chief Inspector Christopher Smith said the students were traveling from Gemo Island in rough seas after attending a picnic.
The students, most from the Highlands, were located around 8pm at the Napanapa Oil Refinery.
Smith said the students had been taken in for questioning and police investigations would continue.
He said they had been conducting awareness in the coastal villages to follow safety measures while at sea but people seem to be ignorant.
We have stressed the issue of overloading and safety equipment on boats over the years and there were no life jackets in the banana boat involved.
Smith said that the students were fortunate that the banana boat could float and helped them to safety.
The crew of the banana boat were from a nearby village and police were working on identifying relevant laws before they proceed to lay charges.
Smith appealed to the people to follow safety measures while out at sea and to abide by the law to avoid such incidents in the future.
He said banana boats do not exceed 11 people and the incident was a show of ignorance of the law which caused the accident.