Ferry sinks in rough seas near Bali; 7 dead and 11 missing
Rescuers are searching for 11 people missing after a ferry sank near Indonesia’s resort island of Bali
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Rescuers on Wednesday were searching for 11 people missing in rough seas overnight after a ferry sank near Indonesia’s resort island of Bali Seven bodies have been recovered and 39 people were rescued, many of them unconscious after drifting in choppy waters for hours.
The KMP Yunice sank about half an hour after leaving East Java’s Ketapang port late Tuesday, Bali Search and Rescue Agency chief Gede Darmada said. It was bound for Bali’s Gilimanuk port, a 50-kilometer (30-mile) trip.
It carried 41 passengers, 13 crew members and 3 canteen waiters, the National Search and Rescue Agency said Wednesday, revising earlier numbers.
The agency said 39 people were rescued and at least seven bodies were recovered.
Two tug boats and two inflatable boats have been searching for the missing people since Tuesday night, battling waves up to 4 meters (13 feet) high in the overnight darkness.
Ferry tragedies are common in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, where ferries are often used as transport and safety regulations can lapse.
In 2018, an overcrowded ferry with about 200 people on board sank in a deep volcanic crater lake in North Sumatra province, killing 167 people.
In one of the country’s worst recorded disasters, an overcrowded passenger ship sank in February 1999 with 332 people aboard. There were only 20 survivors.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.