At least 15 people are dead after an overloaded ferry capsized off the coast of Indonesia’s Sulawesi island just after midnight on July 24, authorities have said.
A wooden ferry boat, which was designed to hold 20 people, was carrying 48 people from Lanto village in Buton Central regency in Southeast Sulawesi province across the Mawasangka Bay to nearby Lagii village when it capsized, tossing its passengers into the rough sea water, CBS News reported. The 1km journey (half a mile) across the Bay generally takes 20 minutes, Reuters reported. (RELATED: Hippo Capsizes Canoe In Malawi, Leaving Infant Dead And 23 Missing: Officials)
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
At least 15 passengers were killed when a small ferry capsized during a short 20-minute journey near Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, the national search and rescue agency said https://t.co/rVm1VUpyFl pic.twitter.com/0XLJDfmtrE
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 24, 2023
Rescuers deployed three inflatable rubber boats, two fishing boats and six divers as they searched the Bay for survivors. Their efforts resulted in the recovery of 15 bodies and six survivors, according to the Associated Press (AP). Further rescue and recovery operations were called off after officials later determined all passengers had been accounted for.
“There were 27 people who survived, but had not previously been reported, because they went straight home,” local search and rescue agency head Muhammad Arafah stated, according to the AP.
Residents of Indonesia, an archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands, rely on ferries and boats as a primary source of transportation when traveling within the country, At the time of the sinking, many residents were traveling to their villages to celebrate the regency’s 9th anniversary July 23, CBS News reported.
Capsizing accidents are commonplace in Indonesia, where lax safety standards often lead to boat overcrowding and a lack of adequate life-saving equipment.