JAKARTA: A fishing boat carrying 37 people capsized in rough seas off Indonesia‘s Sulawesi island, killing at least two people and leaving 24 others missing, rescuers said Wednesday. The Dewi Jaya 2 was on its way from a port in Jakarta to Lombok Island near Bali carrying tons of fish when it was overwhelmed by high waves during stormy weather after midnight on Saturday, the National Search and Rescue Agency said in a statement.
The vessel capsized in the Gulf of Bone about 52 nautical miles from the port of Benteng in the Selayar island chain off South Sulawesi province, the statement said.
After local fishers reported the accident on Sunday, rescuers found 11 survivors including the captain stranded in various places in the Selayars. They also found two bodies there.
“Survivors have been treated at nearby health centers and were in stable condition,” the agency said. Rescuers are searching for 24 others who are reportedly missing using inflatable boats, it said.
Maritime accidents have killed hundreds of people in Indonesia in recent years. Boats are often overcrowded, and safety regulations are poorly enforced. The vast country spans more than 17,000 islands with a population of 270 million, and boats are a popular and relatively cheap form of transportation.