Dozens remain missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank off the coast of Bali late Wednesday, leaving at least four dead in rough sea conditions, according to Indonesia’s search and rescue agency. The vessel went down shortly after departing from East Java.
The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya was en route from Ketapang in East Java to Gilimanuk in Bali when the incident occurred, the agency said on Thursday. The ferry departed at around 11:20pm local time and sank around half an hour later, reportedly amid rough sea conditions with waves up to 2.5 meters in height.
Rescue teams have saved 31 people and recovered four bodies so far. Many of the survivors were found unconscious after drifting in the water for hours, according to media reports. The search for the remaining 30 continues, with nine boats and local fishermen assisting in the efforts.
According to Surabaya rescue agency, four of the survivors managed to escape using the ferry’s lifeboat and were found in the water early on Thursday.
Nanang Sigit, the agency’s head, told local media earlier that 38 people were missing. He noted that poor weather conditions initially made it difficult to reach the sunken vessel.
“The ferry could not be contacted via radio from the beginning. Then it could be contacted by other ships from the same company. But the ship was already in a tilting condition,” AP quoted Sigit as saying.
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, currently on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, has ordered an emergency response to the disaster. The rescue agency has deployed additional personnel and equipment to aid in the search operations.
The ferry was carrying 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks. The route between Ketapang and Gilimanuk is one of Indonesia’s busiest, frequently used by locals and freight operators.
Ferry accidents are common in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, where the boats are a common means of transport and safety regulations can lapse.
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