Five survivors from a passenger boat that sank off eastern Indonesia have been rescued after spending three harrowing days at sea. The vessel, which was carrying over 70 people, went down near Selayar, a small island south of Sulawesi. The survivors, part of a group of 25 initially reported missing, managed to stay afloat using jerry cans and makeshift flotation devices.
Local fishermen discovered the survivors on Saturday afternoon and alerted officials, who coordinated their rescue. The survivors, appearing tired and weak, had sustained themselves with packets of instant noodles and biscuits. The boat's manifest listed 50 people, but further checks revealed there were 78 on board.
Rescue efforts continue with five large ships, a reconnaissance aircraft, and a helicopter searching for those still missing. It is common in Indonesia for the actual number of passengers to differ from the manifest, often due to lax safety standards and adverse weather conditions.
This incident echoes a similar tragedy in January when three Spanish tourists died after their boat sank off eastern Indonesia. A 10-year-old boy was officially listed as missing after the search was called off.
The ongoing search highlights the dangers faced by passengers on Indonesian waters, where safety standards are often inadequate and weather conditions can be unpredictable.
