Ship accident Indonesia: Five survivors after three days

The shipwrecked individuals, including a seven-year-old girl, had kept themselves afloat on a makeshift raft made from canisters and pieces of cork, Anwar explained. The five people had tied the canisters and cork pieces together with ropes and climbed onto the platform they had created in this way.

Anwar further recounted that the group had initially been together with other survivors of the disaster, but had then been separated from them by strong winds. After the sinking, each person saved themselves with whatever equipment or improvised flotation aids they could find, the rescue chief said.

At least one person died in the ship accident. Numerous other individuals are considered missing following the sinking. According to the local authorities, the search operations for those still missing are ongoing.

Search for the missing continues

The accident occurred near the small island of Selayar, which lies south of the Indonesian main island of Sulawesi. The region is regularly served by ferries and passenger ships; more precise information on the origin and destination of the sunken ship, as well as on the number of people originally on board, has not been made public.

The five rescued individuals were recovered after being spotted by fishermen, who passed their position on to the rescue services. Anwar initially provided no further details on the current health condition of the survivors or whether they had been taken to a hospital.

The Indonesian authorities nevertheless assume that, given the long time spent at sea, the survivors will require medical care. Anwar spoke of a race against time, as the people had barely consumed any fluids or food for three days.

Background: Shipping traffic in Indonesia

The search and rescue teams are continuing their operations in the sea area south of Sulawesi. Due to the weather conditions and the currents, the search for the missing was reported to be difficult.

The incident is part of a series of boat accidents in the region. Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is dependent on ferry connections between the islands; safety standards and oversight are repeatedly the subject of public debate.

According to local sources, the exact circumstances of the engine failure that led to the sinking of the ship are still being investigated. There was also no confirmed information initially available regarding possible passenger lists and cargo details.

Anwar and the rescue forces involved expressed relief at the rescue of the five individuals, but at the same time pointed out that the search for the remaining missing persons was the top priority. No information has been released so far on possible additional survivors.