Ferry Sinks Near Bali, Leaving Four Dead, Thirty Missing
(MENAFN) A ferry carrying 65 people sank late Wednesday near Bali, Indonesia, leaving at least four dead and 30 others still unaccounted for, according to the country's search and rescue agency.
The vessel, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, was traveling from Ketapang in East Java to Gilimanuk in Bali when disaster struck, the agency confirmed on Thursday. Departing at approximately 11:20 PM local time, the ferry capsized roughly 30 minutes later, reportedly due to rough sea conditions, with waves reaching up to 2.5 meters.
So far, 31 survivors have been rescued, and four bodies have been recovered. Many of those rescued were found unconscious after drifting for hours in the sea, media reports said. Rescue operations continue, with nine boats and local fishermen now involved in the search for the missing 30.
The Surabaya rescue agency reported that four of the survivors escaped using the ferry's lifeboat, later found floating in the water early Thursday morning.
Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya rescue agency, told local media that 38 people were initially reported missing. He explained that the initial weather conditions delayed rescue efforts: "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," he said, as quoted by media.
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, who is on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, has ordered a full-scale emergency response to the tragedy. Additional personnel and resources have been dispatched to bolster the ongoing search and rescue operations.
The ferry was carrying 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks. The route between Ketapang and Gilimanuk is one of the busiest in Indonesia, heavily frequented by both locals and freight operators.
Accidents like this are sadly not uncommon in Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, where ferry travel remains a vital mode of transportation despite safety concerns and inconsistent regulations.
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