A day after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali, Indonesian authorities intensified Friday the search operation for 30 people still missing. At least six people are confirmed dead as of late Thursday, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency which also released the names of 29 survivors.
More than 160 rescuers including Indonesian police officials and soldiers are part of the ongoing search and rescue operation which was halted Thursday evening due to visibility problems, the deputy chief of operations of the agency, Ribut Eko Suyatno, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
On Wednesday evening, the ferry ‘KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya’ set out for a trip of about 5 kilometers to Bali’s Gilimanuk port. It sank almost 30 minutes after leaving Ketapang port in East Java. The ship was rated to carry 67 people including 12 crew members, according to Indonesia’s transport ministry.
For an aerial search, three helicopters and a thermal drone were deployed over the waters of the Bali Strait. About 20 vessels were mobilised for the sea search, Suyatno added. As weather forecasts predict high waves and rough waters around the Bali Strait on Friday, he said at least three navy ships to being deployed to replace small boats.
Indonesian authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. Survivors told rescuers there appeared to be a leak in the engine room of the ferry, which was carrying 22 vehicles including 14 trucks, as per AP.
Ferries are a common mode of transport in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands. Ferry-related accidents occur regularly with weak safety standards to blame. Vessels are allowed to be overloaded without adequate life-saving equipment.
