Boat sinks in eastern Indonesia, rescue teams search for 27 missing passengers
Kyiv • UNN
The vessel "Nazila 05" sank due to a storm near Taliabu Island. All 27 passengers evacuated in a lifeboat, but their current whereabouts are unknown.
On Monday, rescue teams set out to search for 27 people who went missing after a passenger ship sank in rough waters on its way to a remote village in eastern Indonesia, UNN reports with reference to AP.
The vessel, named "Nazila 05", was carrying 27 passengers and crew when it departed from Taliabu Island in North Maluku province shortly after sunset on Sunday. It was headed to Kemi, a coastal village in the same province, said Muhammad Rizal, head of the search and rescue agency in Palu city in Central Sulawesi, near the site of the sinking.
He said the incident was first reported to authorities on Monday morning by the vessel's owner, Rifani Samatia, after the captain of "Nazila 05" contacted him and reported that the vessel's bow had broken after being hit by high waves during a storm. Approximately 30 minutes later, the captain reported that the vessel had sunk.
"All 27 people on board managed to evacuate to a lifeboat before the ship sank," Rizal said. "However, their current whereabouts remain unknown."
According to Rizal, a search and rescue team was dispatched to the scene on a rescue vessel, supported by navigation equipment and communication devices, a helicopter, and local fishermen.
He noted that the vessel "Nazila 05" was often used to transport tourists and was also known locally as a fishing or small passenger vessel.
Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, where boats are the most common mode of transport. Due to weak safety standards and overcrowding issues, accidents occur frequently.