Rescuers search for missing people during an operation after a passenger boat KM Nurul Salsa sank off Selayar island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 17, 2026.(photo credit: National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS)/Handout via REUTERS) via TJP
Forty-nine survivors were located in total since the boat sank last week, though another 20 people reportedly remain missing as the search continues.
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The passenger boat, KM Nurul Salsa, was carrying 78 passengers and crew when it sank on Wednesday, approximately 80 km. from its departure port on Jampea Island in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, after the ship experienced engine failure.
Weather challenges search as it continues; 20 people remain missing
They were evacuated by a passing fishing boat before being transferred to a search-and-rescue boat, according to ABC.
“They were taken to the port in Benteng town for health checkups and information gathering,” Anwar said in a statement.
“The challenge is the weather, with waves 2 meters to 2.5 meters high at the search site. The winds are also strong. That’s the main challenge,” Anwar said.
The Indonesian National Armed Forces, the country’s national police, and private citizens are continuing the search operation. – Agencies via TJP
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