At least five people have died and dozens remain unaccounted for after a ferry sank in rough seas while en route to Bali, Indonesia, rescue authorities confirmed on Thursday. So far, 31 survivors have been rescued from the water, but 29 passengers and crew are still missing.
The vessel, carrying 65 people, went down before midnight on Wednesday while sailing from Java’s main island to the popular tourist destination. The ferry reportedly tilted sharply and sank immediately, according to survivor Eka Toniansyah, who was at a Bali hospital. He recounted, “Most of the passengers were from Indonesia. I was with my father. My father is dead.”
Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya search and rescue agency, told AFP that a fifth victim was confirmed dead on Thursday afternoon. “Thirty-one victims were found safe, five died, and 29 are still being searched for,” he said.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who was traveling in Saudi Arabia, ordered an immediate emergency response. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that the cause of the sinking was attributed to “bad weather.”
Rescue efforts were initially hampered by adverse weather conditions, with waves reaching as high as 2.5 meters (8 feet) and strong winds complicating operations. However, conditions have since improved. A team of at least 54 personnel, along with inflatable rescue boats and a larger vessel from Surabaya, are involved in the ongoing search.
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