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Eighteen people remain missing after the passenger boat sank in Indonesia on Wednesday, July 15
NEED TO KNOW
- Seven people were rescued over the weekend, days after a passenger boat sank in Indonesia on Wednesday, July 15
- A mother and her 24-year-old son were found on an island a day after another group, which included a 7-year-old girl, were found clinging to a fishing trap
- More than 200 people have been searching for the missing boaters in rough water amid ongoing rescue efforts
A 7-year-old girl and a mother and her 24-year-old son were among those rescued over the weekend, days after a passenger boat sank in Indonesia.
On Sunday, July 19, a 46-year-old woman and her adult son were discovered on Balaloho Island, a small island in Selayar, by a group of fishermen, the Associated Press reported.
The rescue came a day after search-and-rescue crews located five survivors, including a 7-year-old girl, who were discovered hanging onto a fish trap, according to the news agency.
The group had stayed afloat for days. They were found by local fishermen, who radioed officials for help, on the afternoon of Saturday, July 18, Agence France-Presse (AFP) stated, per The Jakarta Post.
At least one person is confirmed dead, and 18 others remain missing after the KM Nurul Salsa sank on Wednesday, approximately 43 nautical miles from a port in the Selayar Islands, according to the AP.
The boat had been traveling from Jampea Island to Selayar Island with 78 passengers and crew on board when it experienced engine failure, the news agency stated.
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In the initial hours of the emergency, 47 people were rescued, per The Independent. Search efforts have gone on for days, with the help of more than 200 rescue members on boats, including local agencies and residents, the AP reported, citing Andi Sultan, the leader of emergency response in Makassar.
“Rescue teams also faced extremely harsh weather conditions, including waves as high as 2–3 meters and strong winds,” Sultan said, according to the AP.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Makassar did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Indonesia, a country located in the Indian and Pacific oceans, is located on an archipelago and encompasses about 17,500 islands, more than 7,000 of which are uninhabited, according to Britannica.
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