11 missing after boat sinks in Indonesia

A passenger boat sank in the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province, leaving 11 people missing. The boat sank at around 11am local time on Monday (July 14), with 18 passengers on board. Seven of them were rescued after a search was carried out, according to Reuters news agency. The boat was heading from the small town of Sikacap in the Mentawai Islands to another small town, Tuapejat, when it capsized in rough seas. Boats and ferries are a regular means of transport in Indonesia, which is made up of more than 17,000 islands. Accidents are common here due to poor weather conditions as well as lax safety standards for vessels such as overloading. On June 3, 18 people out of 65 on board died when a ferry sank off the coast of the country’s Bali island. Although 30 people were rescued alive, 17 are still missing. In this situation, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has issued a severe weather warning in the country’s waters.