80 missing, three dead as big waves sink Indonesia boat; rescuers pulled out 39 survivors

Makassar: Rescuers have pulled out 39 survivors and three dead from a passenger boat that sank in central Indonesia after being buffeted by high waves, and resumed efforts today to reach scores of others still missing. [caption id=“attachment_2438770” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representative image. REUTERS[/caption] The fiberglass ferry was on its way from Kolaka in Southeast Sulawesi province crossing the Gulf of Bone to Siwa town in South Sulawesi province, when it was overwhelmed by waves more than 3 meters high during stormy weather Saturday, said Roki Asikin, head of the search and rescue agency in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi. The boat was carrying 110 passengers and 12 crew members, Asikin said. The passengers included 14 children. Operational chief of the local search rescue agency Ivan Ahmad Rizki Titus said the National Search and Rescue Agency was deploying a helicopter and boats, while the navy was sending in warships to join the rescue efforts. He added that a CN-235 aircraft of the air force joined the search yesterday. Earlier, six rescue boats and ships were dispatched after they received a distress call from the crew, who reported that the vessel was starting to take on water about 21 kilometers southeast of Siwa port, Asikin said. Fishermen found four people who had been on the boat, including a woman and a child. They told authorities that the boat sank hours after being hit by high waves. Thirty-five other survivors and three bodies were found later Sunday, said Transportation Ministry spokesman Julius Barata. He said all of the survivors were taken to hospitals. The search for the 80 people still missing was called off at nightfall Sunday and resumed Monday morning. Television video showed dozens of family members anxiously waiting for their loved ones at the Siwa port. The acting chief of the Kolaka port authority, Muhammad Yunus, said the Marina boat was seaworthy when it left for the estimated six-hour voyage. Indonesian boat accidents have killed hundreds of people in recent years. Boats are often overcrowded and safety regulations are poorly enforced. The vast country spans more than 17,000 islands with a population of 250 million, and boats are a popular and relatively cheap form of transportation. AP