Ferry with 65 aboard sinks near Bali; rescuers searching for 43 still missing

A ferry carrying 65 people sank in the Bali Strait on Wednesday night. The vessel, named KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, was on its way from East Java’s Ketapang port to Gilimanuk port in Bali when it went down about 30 minutes after departure.

The ferry had 53 passengers and 12 crew members onboard, along with 22 vehicles, including several trucks. So far, two bodies have been recovered and 20 people have been rescued. Many of those saved were found unconscious after floating in rough waters for hours.

“The ferry’s manifest data totalled 53 passengers and 12 passenger crews,” Surabaya search and rescue agency said in a statement Thursday, adding the vessel sunk around 23:20 local time (1520 GMT).

Rescue teams, including nine boats and inflatable vessels, are searching the area. The efforts have been made more difficult by high waves reaching up to two meters in the darkness of night. The National Search and Rescue Agency continues to lead the operation.

This is a developing story.

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