The Indonesian authorities on Friday intensified their search operation to search for 30 people who went missing after a boat drowned near the tourist island Bali.
The ‘KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya’ drowned about half an hour after leaving the port of East Java late Wednesday night. The boat was going to the Gilimanuk port of Bali.
Ribut Eko Syatno, Deputy Chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency, said that the search and rescue operations were stopped on Thursday evening due to visibility related problems and it was resumed on Friday morning with the help of more than 160 rescuers including police and soldiers.
Sayatno said that rescue operations are being conducted with the help of three helicopters, one drone and about 20 vessels. He said that according to the weather forecast, there is a possibility of high waves and storms coming around Bali Strait on Friday, due to which at least three naval vessels are being deployed in place of small boats.
The agency released the names of 29 rescued people late on Thursday night and confirmed the death of six people. He did not release the names of the missing people but 30 people are missing according to the passenger list.
The boat had 53 passengers, 12 crew members and 22 vehicles including 14 trucks. Indonesian officials are investigating the cause of the accident. The survivors told the rescuers that there was probably leakage in the engine room of the boat. There were 22 vehicles in this room.