Four Dead And Dozens Missing After Ferry Carrying 65 People Sinks Near Bali

A ferry carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members sank en route to Bali from Banyuwangi, located on the eastern coast of Java island, the Surabaya office of the National Search and Rescue Agency reported. According to rescuers, at least four people have died and dozens are missing. Initial investigations suggest the disaster was caused by uneven weather conditions.

So far, thirty-one survivors have been rescued, while search operations continue for the remaining passengers. The ferry operator had reported engine trouble shortly before it sank. Many of the survivors are residents of the coastal town of Banyuwangi, though some came from more inland regions of Java. President Prabowo Subianto has ordered an emergency response and intensified search operations. Ambulances have been deployed, and relatives are seen waiting along the roadside for updates, according to the local reports and circulating images.

The affected route is one of Indonesia's busiest, frequently used by locals travelling between Java and Bali. Marine accidents are common in Indonesia, which spans over 17,000 islands. In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in the rough waters of Bali, resulting in the death of an Australian woman. In 2018, over 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in Lake Toba, one of the world's deepest lakes on Sumatra island.