Indonesia: Boat with 28 people aboard goes missing

Rescuers are searching for a boat with at least 28 on board which had reportedly been missing. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesian authorities said rescuers are searching for a boat with at least 28 on board which had reportedly been missing since December 20 off the coast of Mamuju in the eastern Indonesian province of West Sulawesi.

Mamuju Search and Rescue (SAR) chief Muhammad Rizal said the boat carrying 28 wedding guests lost contact in the waters of Ambo Island. His office received a report on the incident from a local resident on December 20 evening.

According to the official, the boat departed from Ambo Island at around 10 a.m. local time and was expected to arrive at its destination of Port Sumare in Mamuju at 4 p.m.

However, until the evening, the boat had not arrived there, said Rizal, adding that a rescue team with a SAR boat had been deployed to Ambo Island.

Maritime accidents are common in Indonesia, a Southeast Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, due to lax safety standards./.

VNA