Report on 2011 East Kalimantan Bridge Tragedy Out Soon

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SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: A much-anticipated investigation into a deadly bridge collapse in East Kalimantan’s Kutai Kartanegara district in November 2011 is expected to wrap up by Monday, police said on Friday, Jakarta Globe reported.

Insp. Gen. Anas Yusuf, the provincial police chief, said that the probe by engineering experts from leading universities nationwide would confirm whether corners had been cut in the construction of the Mahakam II suspension bridge, which would allow the police to pursue a corruption investigation.

“The latest news we have is that the study will be completed in the next few days and submitted to the police for further analysis and follow-up,” he said.

Twenty-four people were confirmed killed while 14 went missing and are presumed dead after the 10-year-old bridge collapsed on Nov. 26 last year, sending vehicles and pedestrians plunging into the Mahakam River below.

In June this year, three officials in charge of the maintenance of the bridge were sentenced to a year in prison each for criminal oversight and negligence leading to the deadly accident.

Anas said the findings from the independent study would be crucial in determining who was ultimately responsible for the tragedy, and promised to follow up on every lead in the report.

“The report will complement the witness statements that we have already gathered so far,” he said.