JAKARTA, 24th July, 2023 (WAM) — An overloaded passenger boat capsized off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, killing at least 15 people and leaving 19 others missing, AP reported, citing rescuers on Monday.
The vessel was traveling from Lanto village in Buton Central regency in Southeast Sulawesi province to nearby Lagili village when it capsized just after midnight on Monday, local search and rescue agency head Muhammad Arafah said.
The wooden boat was carrying 40 people but was designed for just 20.
Rescuers were searching Monday for 19 people who were still missing in rough seas, while 15 bodies had been recovered and six people were rescued, Arafah said.
Three inflatable boats, two fishing boats and six divers were deployed to search for the missing people, he added.