Indonesia Ferry Search Continues, No New Victims Found
The search continues for 29 people still missing after the KM Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry sank in the Bali Strait on Wednesday night. Indonesian rescue authorities reported no new discoveries on Friday.
Search and Rescue Efforts
The joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team has completed its second day of operations following the Wednesday night sinking. The ferry was carrying 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles.
According to Ribut Eko Suyanto, deputy for search and rescue operations readiness at Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency, “So on the second day of the search today, there have been no new findings of victims who were declared missing, but the joint SAR team is still carrying out activities and preparing plans for the next operation on Saturday.”
Challenging Conditions
Harsh weather conditions are significantly impeding search and rescue efforts.
Suyanto noted that visibility had decreased from 10 kilometers to only three, with waves reaching 2.5 meters and strong winds present.
Survivor Count Rises
Authorities confirmed that the number of survivors has increased to 30 after locating another individual.
As of Friday evening, the total count of people found is 36, with 30 survivors and 6 fatalities. Maritime incidents are unfortunately common in Indonesia, an archipelago nation with over 17,000 islands (Britannica).
