Five rescued after Indonesian boat sinks; at least 20 still missing
A man, three women and a seven-year-old girl survived for three days at sea after the KM Nurul Salsa sank off South Sulawesi.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
Rescuers in Indonesia found five people alive after three days at sea following the sinking of a passenger boat off South Sulawesi, Al Jazeera reported, citing AFP and AP. At least 20 people remained missing as search teams continued looking for survivors.
The survivors included one man, three women and a seven-year-old girl, according to Al Jazeera. They were found before nightfall on Saturday by a fishing boat near Matallang Island, off Sulawesi, and were then transferred to a search-and-rescue vessel.
Al Jazeera reported that the KM Nurul Salsa had been carrying 78 passengers and crew when it suffered engine failure and sank on Wednesday. The boat went down while travelling from Jampea Island to Benteng port on Selayar Island in South Sulawesi province.
The sinking occurred about 43 nautical miles, or 79km, from Benteng, according to Al Jazeera. The five people who were later rescued had survived by holding on to a fish trap and floating debris.
Survivors separated from larger group
Muhammad Arif Anwar, a local search-and-rescue official, said the survivors used whatever materials they could find to stay above water, according to Al Jazeera. He said they tied together jerry cans and cork with rope and climbed onto the makeshift raft.
The five survivors told rescuers they had originally been with a group of 25 people, Al Jazeera reported. Strong winds later split them from the others during their time in the water.
Local media reported that 47 people were rescued the day after the boat sank, according to Al Jazeera. One person was confirmed to have drowned.
The search effort involved five large ships, a reconnaissance aircraft and a helicopter, Al Jazeera reported. Crews were continuing to scan the waters near Selayar Island for people still unaccounted for.
Boat travel risks in Indonesia
Passenger boats are widely used in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, according to Al Jazeera. The news outlet reported that weak safety standards and overcrowding often contribute to maritime accidents in the country.
Al Jazeera also reported that at least six people died and dozens were missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank off Bali earlier in July. That incident added to concern over the safety of inter-island transport in one of the world’s largest island nations.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.