An Indonesian ship with 43 people onboard capsized off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island after it ran out of fuel, the search and rescue agency said on Saturday (May 28), as search continues for 26 people who remained missing.
The motorboat that had left Paotere port in Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi province, on Thursday (May 26) midnight was reported missing the next day when it failed to arrive its destination, local media reported.
Authorities said they think the accident was caused by a fuel shortage and bad weather.
“We have confirmation that the boat had sunk in the search area,” South Sulawesi search and rescue agency chief Djunaidi, who only goes by one name, said on Saturday, adding that 17 people were found and saved by passing tugboats.
Indonesia’s weather agency had warned on Thursday of waves up to 2.5 metres (8 feet) in Makassar strait areas and that could cause safety risks.
The passengers found were rescued by tugboats and taken to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan and Jeneponto in South Sulawesi, while rescuers continue the search for the other victims.
