Search underway off Indonesia for 24 people missing after boat sinks, at least 1 dead

PALU, Indonesia (AP) — Rescuers were continuing to search on Thursday for 24 people missing after a passenger boat sank off Indonesia, authorities said.

At least one person is known to have died after the KM Nurul Salsa experienced engine failure and sank about 43 nautical miles (79 kilometers) from its destination port in the Selayar Islands, in South Sulawesi Province, on Wednesday.

Rescuers located 49 survivors and are searching for 24 missing passengers, according to Muhammad Arif Anwar, head of the Makassar Search and Rescue Office.

“The challenge is the weather, with waves 2 meters to 2.5 meters high at the search site. The winds are also strong. That’s the main challenge,” Anwar said.

The search operation involves personnel from the Indonesian National Armed Forces, National Police, fishermen and residents.

The Nurul Salsa was carrying 74 passengers and crew, as well as copra, cattle and motorcycles, when it departed Jampea Island on Wednesday morning, authorities have said.

Passenger boats are a common form of transportation in Indonesia, an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands. Lax safety standards and problems with overcrowding frequently result in accidents.

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Associated Press journalist Edna Tarigan in Jakarta contributed to this report.