INDONESIA: A tragic incident unfolded off Sulawesi Island on Monday as a ferry sank, resulting in the loss of at least 15 lives, according to the national search and rescue agency.
The ferry was carrying 40 passengers when it sank, leaving 19 individuals still unaccounted for, while six were fortunate enough to survive. The cause of the sinking, which occurred around midnight, is yet to be determined.
Muhamad Arafah, from the local branch of the search and rescue agency, informed, “All the victims have been identified and handed over to the families, while the survivors are now being treated in local hospitals.”
Heartbreaking images released by the rescue agency depicted the lifeless bodies of the victims covered in cloth, lying on the floor of a nearby hospital.
The incident took place as the ferry was transporting passengers across a bay near Muna island, approximately 200 km (124 miles) south of Kendari, the capital of Southeast Sulawesi province.
Ferries serve as a prevalent means of transportation in Indonesia, an extensive archipelago consisting of over 17,000 islands. Unfortunately, accidents frequently occur due to relaxed safety regulations, leading to overloaded vessels without sufficient life-saving equipment.
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