Jakarta, Jan 3 (NationPress) A devastating incident took place when a speedboat, transporting 30 passengers, sank in the waters near Seram Bagian Barat regency in Maluku Province, Indonesia on Friday. This tragic event led to the loss of eight lives, as reported by the head of the provincial search and rescue office, Muhammad Arafah.
Arafah detailed that the speedboat, named Dua Nona, collided with a piece of wood that was floating on the surface of the water around 10 a.m. local time, resulting in damage to its hull.
According to Arafah, “Eight people were killed.”
The incident happened shortly after the vessel left a seaport in the regency, heading towards Ambon City, the provincial capital, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
Ongoing search and rescue efforts are being carried out by personnel from the local search and rescue office, along with water police, boats from the local Health Department, and community volunteers.
Arafah mentioned that poor communication has complicated the coordination efforts among rescuers.
In a separate incident on October 12, 2024, at least five individuals lost their lives and several others were feared dead when a speedboat caught fire off the coast of North Maluku province, according to officials.
This tragic accident occurred while the boat was anchored at a seaport in Taliabu regency, where it was refueling before continuing its journey for a political campaign, involving a governor candidate Benny Laos and his supporters, stated Abdul Muis Uma Ternate, a senior official from the local disaster management agency.
“Five people were killed, nine others were injured, and some individuals remained trapped inside the boat,” he added.
Video footage obtained by Xinhua showed the fire engulfing the entire vessel, with those trapped likely perishing in the flames. The official could not specify the total number of people on board or those who failed to escape.
Yusri Abdul Kasim, the head of the Logistics Unit of the provincial disaster management agency, informed Xinhua that an explosion occurred just prior to the fire.
All injured individuals were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
