Ferry Sinks Near Bali, Indonesia – At Least 43 Missing

A passenger ferry has sunk off the coast of Bali, Indonesia’s popular tourist island, with at least 43 people reported missing. The vessel was carrying a total of 65 people.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night (July 2), approximately 30 minutes after the ferry, named KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, departed from Ketapang Port in East Java. The ferry was ending route to Gilimanuk Port in Bali, which is about 50 kilometers away.

According to reports, the ferry had 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles onboard, including 14 trucks.

International news outlet Al Jazeera reported that two bodies have been recovered so far, and 20 people have been rescued alive. Many of the survivors were found unconscious after floating in rough seas for an extended period.

Rescue teams, battling waves as high as two meters, conducted overnight search operations. A total of nine vessels were involved in the rescue efforts, including two tugboats and two rubber boats.

Indonesia, an archipelagic nation made up of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferry transport. However, due to lax safety standards, maritime accidents are relatively common in the country.