Ferry Tragedy Near Bali: Four Confirmed Dead, Many Missing

JAKARTA: Four individuals have lost their lives, 38 are unaccounted for, and 23 have been rescued after a ferry with 65 people on board sank near Bali, Indonesia, as reported by the country’s Search and Rescue agency on Thursday.

The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya went down approximately 30 minutes after departing from Banyuwangi port in East Java, heading toward Bali late Wednesday evening, according to the agency.

The vessel was carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members, along with 22 vehicles.

The search for those missing is currently in progress, but strong currents and winds are complicating the efforts, the agency noted.

Ferries are a widely used mode of transportation in Indonesia, an archipelago comprising over 17,000 islands. Unfortunately, accidents are not uncommon due to insufficient safety regulations that often lead to overloaded boats lacking proper life-saving equipment.

Earlier this year, a small ferry capsized near Sulawesi Island, resulting in at least 15 fatalities.