A ferry carrying over 65 passengers and crew sank off the coast of Indonesia’s island of Bali, leaving at least six dead and dozens missing. The vessel was traveling from Java to Bali when it capsized on Wednesday evening.
Rescuers have rescued 31 survivors so far, but officials are investigating discrepancies in passenger numbers between the official manifest and actual reports. This is not an isolated incident, as similar discrepancies were reported in a previous accident in March, resulting in one death.
Survivors describe the scene: “The ferry capsized quickly after tilting sharply three times,” said Imron, who managed to swim out of the cabin and find a life jacket before being rescued. Another survivor, Bejo Santoso, jumped off the ferry just in time and reached for a life jacket about 3 minutes after it started rolling.
President Prabowo Subianto has ordered an emergency response from Saudi Arabia, where he is currently on an official visit. Authorities are working to identify the missing and provide assistance to the survivors.
The incident highlights Indonesia’s ongoing struggle with marine safety regulations, which have been criticized for being unevenly enforced. The country’s sprawling archipelago of over 17,000 islands makes it a challenging task to monitor and regulate maritime traffic.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cew0yz5xw1no