Death toll from passenger ship sinking in Indonesia rises to 10

Jakarta, July 8 (IANS) The death toll from a passenger ship sinking in Indonesia's Bali Strait last Wednesday evening has risen to 10, according to senior rescue officials on Tuesday.

"The number of casualties has reached 10 today. Thirty passengers were saved and 25 others are still missing," I Nyoman Sidakarya, head of the Search and Rescue Office in Bali, told Xinhua news agency.

He said Tuesday's search and rescue efforts would include underwater operations involving several divers and vessels equipped with underwater detection technology.

"Surface searches are still ongoing, using ships and rigid inflatable boats," Nyoman added. "Aerial searches are also being conducted."

Novita Nirmala, a senior official from the Search and Rescue Office in East Java province, told Xinhua that two of the 10 victims were recovered this morning.

However, she said the identities of the two victims have yet to be confirmed.

Huge waves and strong winds caused the passenger ship KM Tunu Pratama Jaya to sink in the Bali Strait on Wednesday night.

The ferry was carrying 53 passengers, 12 crew members, and 22 vehicles when it went down in the waters between Java and Bali islands.

As of Friday evening, the total number of individuals found stands at 36, including 30 survivors and six deceased. A total of 29 people remain missing.

Additionally, Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has launched an investigation into the sinking of a passenger ship in the Bali Strait on Wednesday night, which left six people dead, the committee's head, Soejanto Tjahjono, said on Friday.

The investigation will focus on several key areas, including whether proper procedures were followed for the ship's departure, the seaworthiness of the vessel KM Tunu Pratama Jaya, the completeness of its documentation, and how the emergency response was carried out when the accident occurred, Tjahjono said.

--IANS

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