Rihad said that except the rear deck, most parts of the ship were engulfed in fire. Big buses carrying goods were burnt to ashes. The crew tried to control the fire and later gathered on the rear deck. An attempt was made to restart the engine, but by 1 o’clock in the afternoon the attempt had failed.
As the fire progressed, the captain eventually declared the ship abandoned. The crew prepared to board the lifeboats, but one was damaged in the missile attack. Rihad and three Indonesian sailors managed to board the second lifeboat, while the 18 crew members remained on the rear deck. Although the ship was declared abandoned, rough sea conditions made it impossible to jump into the water.
After boarding the lifeboat, their ordeal continued. Rihad said the engine of the lifeboat was also disabled by the explosions. The sea was rough and waves were hitting the boat, making everyone unwell.
He said, “The lifeboat was floating helplessly in the waves. There was fear in everyone’s eyes. I vomited several times. It felt like this was our last day. We were waiting for death. I felt that we would not come back alive. Out of fear, I kept reciting Dua Yunus.”