At least four people have been confirmed dead and 32 others remain missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The vessel, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, departed from Banyuwangi port in East Java before it capsized shortly after leaving shore.
Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, is leading the rescue operation, which has so far saved 29 people.
Nine rescue vessels have been deployed to aid the search effort, with officials reporting improved sea and weather conditions that are helping the ongoing operation.
However, many survivors were found in a state of unconsciousness after spending hours drifting in open waters.
“Most of the rescued passengers were severely exhausted, some were unconscious when they were brought in,” said Banyuwangi police chief Rama Samtama Putra.
Distressed relatives gathered at the port in search of updates, anxiously hoping for news of missing loved ones. Scenes of panic and grief unfolded as families awaited confirmation of the identities of the rescued.
Indonesia`s President Prabowo Subianto, who is currently visiting Saudi Arabia, has ordered an immediate emergency response.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya confirmed the president`s directive, citing "bad weather" as the primary cause of the accident.
Maritime accidents are tragically frequent in Indonesia, an archipelagic nation made up of around 17,000 islands. Poor safety enforcement, vessel overloading, and inadequate emergency equipment continue to plague the country’s marine transport system.
This latest incident follows a string of deadly ferry disasters. In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized off Bali, killing one Australian passenger.
In 2018, over 150 people lost their lives when a ferry sank in Lake Toba, one of the world’s deepest lakes, located on Sumatra island.
Rescue efforts off Bali continue as authorities race against time to locate the missing and investigate the circumstances surrounding the sinking.
