Rescue teams in Indonesia continued their search Thursday for 32 people still unaccounted for after a ferry capsized off the coast of Bali the previous night.
Authorities have confirmed the recovery of four bodies and said that improving weather and sea conditions Thursday morning had boosted hopes of finding more survivors.
So far, 29 people have been pulled from the water, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency.
At the ferry’s departure port, distraught family members gathered in distress, some in tears, anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones and hoping they were among the rescued.
A total of nine vessels, including two tugboats and two inflatable crafts, joined by local fishermen and shoreline volunteers, were combing the area for survivors.
The overnight search was severely hindered by rough seas with waves reaching up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) and complete darkness, but a rescue official noted that Thursday’s improved conditions were aiding ongoing efforts.
The vessel, KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, went down roughly 30 minutes after setting off from Ketapang port in Banyuwangi, East Java.
It was en route to Gilimanuk port in Bali, a 50-kilometer (30-mile) journey. The ferry was carrying 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks, according to a statement from the National Search and Rescue Agency.
A port officer on duty witnessed the sinking and promptly reported the incident to the rescue team.
“The ferry could not be contacted via radio from the beginning. Then it could be contacted by other ships from the same company. But the ship was already in a tilting condition,” said Nanang Sigit, head of the Surabaya Search and Rescue Agency.
“For today’s search we are focusing on searching on the water, as the initial victims were found in the water between the location of the accident toward Gilimanuk port,” Sigit added.
Many of those rescued had lost consciousness after spending hours adrift in turbulent waters, Banyuwangi police chief Rama Samtama Putra confirmed.
Ferry accidents remain a frequent hazard in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago made up of more than 17,000 islands. Ferries are a vital means of transportation, but poor enforcement of safety standards continues to plague the sector.
