Four dead after ferry accident off Bali - dozens still missing

A ferry sank off the holiday island of Bali. Several bodies have been recovered, and dozens of people are still missing at sea. It is still unclear whether tourists were on board the ship.

Four people were found dead after a ferry capsized off the Indonesian island of Bali with dozens of passengers on board. Ten survivors were also found by this morning (local time), authorities announced. The ferry was en route from the neighboring island of Java to the port of Gilimanuk on Bali.

The ship, the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, left the port of Ketapang on Java late in the evening (local time) and sent a distress signal about 20 minutes later, said Wahyu Setiabudi, coordinator of the local search and rescue station. On board were 65 people, including 53 passengers and 12 crew members.

Several of the survivors were rescued in the sea off Cekik Island in Bali. They reached safety on a life raft, authorities said.

The ferry was also carrying more than 80 vehicles, including around 20 large trucks and cars, as well as many motorcycles. It was initially unclear whether tourists were also affected, but generally only a few vacationers use this ferry service. The crossing usually takes less than an hour.

A search team was dispatched to the ship's last known location following the distress signal, but bad weather and waves up to 2.5 meters high hampered the search, Wahyu explained. Unofficial reports among dockworkers indicate that the ship may have had a leak in the engine room before capsizing.

Meanwhile, a trailing vessel reported that the ferry had capsized and was drifting south. Reports indicate that it subsequently sank. Indonesia , a country with over 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferry traffic. However, safety standards are often poorly enforced. Accidents are not uncommon in the country.