JAKARTA, Jul 15 (NNN-ANTARA) – Eleven people are missing while seven others survived, after a speedboat capsized, off the coast of the Mentawai Islands, in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province yesterday, according to Dio Ulwi Finanda, head of the emergency unit, of the local search and rescue office.
The speedboat was travelling from Sikakap Island to Sipora Island, both part of the Mentawai Islands, when it went down in the waters, between the two, this morning.
“The sea incident occurred at around 11:00 a.m. Jakarta time,” he said. “But seven of the boat’s occupants managed to swim to shore. They arrived at around 5:00 p.m.”
Following the report, the search and rescue office deployed one rigid inflatable boat and one ship with rescue personnel to the scene. However, when they arrived, the speedboat was nowhere to be found.
“The search for the wreckage and the other occupants is ongoing. So far, no one has been foundd,” Finanda said.
Rescue operations resume today. The cause of the incident remains unknown.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency has issued warnings of extreme weather conditions in Indonesian waters.– NNN-ANTARA
