Dozens of boats turned up all at once in the Larantuka Sea on Friday morning. The previously abandoned sea was abruptly teeming with sampans, speedboats, proas or sailboats and fishermen's boats, which had come from different directions. Black and national flags, mostly attached to ship's masts, were waving. All of them converged on a line leading to the Kuce Beach, Larantuka.

Passengers packed all of the ships. They sat in rows as far as bows