Officials report that challenging weather and large waves initially hampered rescue operations.
A ferry with 65 individuals onboard capsized off Bali, Indonesia, on Wednesday night, resulting in at least four fatalities. The Indonesian search and rescue agency reports that thirty people are still missing.
The agency stated on Thursday that the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya was traveling from Ketapang, East Java, to Gilimanuk, Bali, when the incident occurred. The ferry departed around 11:20 p.m. local time and sank approximately thirty minutes later, allegedly due to rough seas and waves reaching 2.5 meters.
Rescue teams have rescued 31 individuals and recovered four bodies. Media sources indicate that many survivors were found unconscious after being adrift for several hours. The search continues for the remaining 30, involving nine boats and assistance from local fishermen.
The Surabaya rescue agency reported that four survivors escaped using the ferry’s lifeboat and were discovered in the water early Thursday.
Nanang Sigit, head of the agency, informed local media that 38 people were initially reported missing. He noted that adverse weather conditions initially complicated access to 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.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, currently on a state visit to Saudi Arabia, has mandated an immediate response to the disaster. The rescue agency has deployed more personnel and equipment to support search efforts.
The ferry carried 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks. The route connecting Ketapang and Gilimanuk is a heavily trafficked route in Indonesia, commonly used by locals and freight companies.
Ferry accidents are frequent in Indonesia, an archipelago comprised of over 17,000 islands, where ferries are a common mode of transportation, and safety standards are often relaxed.
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