Rescuers search for 27 after Indonesian boat sinks

Rescuers are racing to find 27 people missing after a passenger boat sank in rough seas en route to a remote village in eastern Indonesia.

The boat, Nazila 05, was carrying 27 passengers and crew members when it left Taliabu Island in North Maluku province just after sunset on Sunday.

Muhammad Rizal, head of the search and rescue office in Palu city of Central Sulawesi, near where the boat sank, said that the boat set out for Kema, a coastal village in the same province.

He said the incident was first reported to authorities on Monday morning by ship owner Rifani Samatia, who said the captain of Nazila 05 contacted him to inform him that the ship’s bow had broken after hitting high waves in rough weather conditions.

About 30 minutes later, the captain reported that the ship had sunk.

“All 27 people on board managed to evacuate using a long boat before the ship sank,” Rizal said, adding: “However, their current location is unknown.”

Rizal said a search and rescue team was dispatched using a rescue ship supported by navigation equipment and communications and assisted by local fishermen.

He said Nazila 05 is often used to transport tourists and is also known locally as a fishing or small cruise ship.

Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where boats are a common means of transportation.

Accidents occur frequently due to lax safety standards and overcrowding problems.