JAKARTA, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Maritime Affairs Coordinating Ministry said Friday the coral reefs massively damaged by a foreign cruise ship in Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua province, will take 50 to 150 years to recover.
Based on a joint survey, nearly 19,000 square meters of coral reefs were damaged by the Caledonian Sky at the beginning of this month, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said.
"We are carefully evaluating the economic losses together with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry as well as the insurance company," Pandjaitan said in Jakarta, adding that this case is pretty complex which involves many parties.
He said that the case should be settled the sooner the better, without elaborating on the deadline.
Earlier this week, Arif Havas Oegroseno, the deputy minister at the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs, said the damaged 18,882 square meters could be classified into two levels.
Oegroseno explained that nearly 13,300 square meters suffered damages that were fatal to the coral. Another 5,600 square meters sustained lesser damages and had 50 percent chance of dying.
He said the insurance company, P&I Club London, has agreed to compensate every legal loss.
The Caledonian Sky cruise ship ran aground on March 4 at Dampier strait of Raja Ampat islands and brought severe damage to one of the world's best pristine coral reefs.
