Four people have died and at least 61 people are still missing after a ferry sank off the coast of Bali.
A search and rescue helicopter has been deployed to the scene to aid 13 underwater rescuers as the search continues.
The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, which was en route to Bali from Banyuwangi on the eastern coast of the Java island, was carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members when it sank shortly before midnight on Wednesday night, local time.
Thirty-one survivors have been rescued, the National Search and Rescue Agency confirmed.
A search and rescue helicopter has been deployed to the scene to aid 13 underwater rescuers
METRO
Strong currents and winds are making search efforts difficult.
Eka Toniansyah was was on the ship when it sank late last night.
He said: "The ferry tilted and immediately sank. Most of the passengers were from Indonesia. I was with my father. My father is dead."
The nationalities of the other passengers remain unconfirmed but it is believed there were no foreigners on board.
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Locals and tourists use the ferry to cross between Ketapang port in Java’s Banyuwangi regency to Bali’s Gilimanuk port
COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA 2025 / AFP
A video shared by the national rescue agency Basarnas appeared to show a local fishing boat carrying a body to shore.
Nanang Sigit, head of Java-based Surabaya search and rescue agency, said that rescuers would follow the currents and expand the search area if there were still unaccounted-for people by the end of the day.
He added: "For today’s search, we are still focusing on search above the water where initial victims were found."
The country's Government has blamed "bad weather" for the incident.
Thirty-one survivors have been rescued, the National Search and Rescue Agency confirmed
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Indonesia rescue team members sail on dinghies during a search operation for missing passengers
REUTERS
Despite the official statement, authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the sinking.
The ferry operator had reported engine trouble shortly before it sank, according to local media.
Locals and tourists use the ferry to cross between Ketapang port in Java’s Banyuwangi regency to Bali’s Gilimanuk port.
The journey usually takes around one hour.Most Read
