Jakarta — At least 17 people are missing after a wooden boat carrying dozens of passengers capsized off the coast of Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands, local authorities said on Monday.
The vessel, which was reportedly en route to Siberut Island in West Sumatra province, overturned on Sunday evening amid rough sea conditions. According to Indonesia’s search and rescue agency (Basarnas), 45 passengers were on board at the time of the accident. While 28 people have been rescued, efforts are still underway to locate the remaining 17.
Search operations, involving navy personnel, local fishermen, and rescue teams, are being hampered by strong currents and bad weather. Divers and aerial surveillance units have also been deployed in the area.
The Mentawai Islands, known for their remote location and challenging sea routes, have seen frequent maritime incidents due to aging vessels, overloading, and unpredictable weather conditions.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on boat transport, but safety regulations are often loosely enforced — a factor experts say contributes to frequent maritime tragedies.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the capsizing and to assess whether the vessel met safety standards.
