Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesian rescue teams are racing to find 27 people missing after a passenger boat sank in rough seas on its way to a remote village in eastern Indonesia, local media reported.
The boat, Nazila 05, was carrying 27 passengers and crew members when it departed Taliabu Island in North Maluku province just after dusk on March 29. It was bound for Kema, a coastal village in the same province.
On the morning of March 30, the vessel’s owner received a distress message from the captain reporting severe damage to the bow after the boat was struck by large waves amid adverse weather conditions. About 30 minutes later, the vessel sank completely.
Before going down, all those on board were believed to have evacuated onto a lifeboat. However, their location has yet to be determined.
Search and rescue teams have deployed rescue vessels, helicopters, positioning equipment and communication systems while local fishermen have joined the operation. Despite ongoing intensive efforts, no information has yet been obtained regarding the missing passengers or the lifeboat.
Indonesia, an archipelagic nation of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on maritime transport. However, lax safety standards and harsh weather conditions have contributed to frequent maritime accidents. In January this year, a separate boat sinking off eastern Indonesia left three Spanish tourists dead and one child missing./.
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