Tragedy Strikes: Five Confirmed Dead and 29 Missing as Indonesian Ferry Capsizes en Route to Bali
At least five individuals have lost their lives, and many others remain unaccounted for after a ferry sank in turbulent waters while en route to the Indonesian resort island of Bali, as per rescue officials, who reported that 31 people were rescued from the sea.
Twenty-nine individuals are still missing following the sinking of the vessel, which was carrying 65 passengers and crew, just before midnight while traveling from Indonesia’s main island, Java, to the popular holiday destination.
“The ferry tilted and quickly sank,” said survivor Eka Toniansyah during a press briefing at a Bali hospital.
“Most of the passengers were Indonesian. I was traveling with my father. My father did not survive.”
“Thirty-one victims have been located safe, five have died, and 29 individuals are still being searched for,” he added.
President Prabowo Subianto, who was abroad in Saudi Arabia, has instructed an immediate emergency response, as revealed by cabinet secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, emphasizing that the incident was caused by “adverse weather conditions.”
Initial attempts to reach the vessel were hampered by harsh weather.
Waves reaching up to 2.5 meters, accompanied by “strong winds and strong currents,” complicated the rescue operations, although conditions have since improved.
The ferry was traveling between Java and Bali (Image: Planet Labs PBC/AFP)
A rescue team comprising at least 54 personnel was deployed along with inflatable rescue boats, and a larger vessel was later dispatched from Surabaya city.
Mohammad Syafii, the chief of Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency, stated during a news conference that a helicopter was sent to aid in the operation.
Nanang Sigit mentioned that rescuers would follow the currents and broaden the search area if there are still unaccounted individuals by the end of the day.
“Today’s search will continue to focus on the water surface where initial victims were found,” the chief of the Surabaya search and rescue team explained.
He noted that the ferry’s manifest indicated 53 passengers and 12 crew members; however, rescuers are still evaluating if more individuals were on board.
In Indonesia, it is common for the actual number of passengers to differ from the manifest. It remains unclear whether any foreigners were onboard.
The ferry route from Ketapang port in Java to Bali’s Gilimanuk port is among the busiest in the country and typically takes about one hour.
This route is frequently used by travelers crossing between the islands by car.
Four of the known survivors managed to save themselves using the ferry’s lifeboat and were found in the water early this morning, according to the Surabaya rescue agency.
The agency also indicated that the ferry was transporting 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks.
Marine accidents are a frequent occurrence in Indonesia, an archipelago of approximately 17,000 islands, partly due to lax safety standards and also due to inclement weather.
In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters near Bali, resulting in the death of an Australian woman and injuries to at least one other individual.
Additionally, a ferry carrying over 800 passengers in 2022 ran aground in shallow waters off the East Nusa Tenggara province, remaining stuck for two days before being freed without any injuries reported.
Moreover, in 2018, more than 150 people tragically drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world’s deepest lakes on Sumatra island.
