MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: A boat capsized Saturday in Badi Island waters off Pangkajene regency, South Sulawesi, due to overcrowding, killing three of the 36 people on board and leaving another person missing.
The survivors and the bodies of the drowned passengers were taken to Badi Island, while the captain of the boat, Abdul Wahid bin Haruna, 45, was detained by Liukang Topabbiring Police for questioning.
Police chief Adj. Comr. Halik Abhan said rescuers were still searching for the missing passenger.
He added the wooden boat sank just 10 minutes after it left Badi Island, and was only 1 nautical mile from shore on its way to Paotere Port in Makassar.
The survivors were rescued by the crew of a cargo ship that was passing by. The three passengers who died were reportedly old and died due to exhaustion.
Halik said the sinking was caused by the fact that the boat, measuring 13 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, had a capacity of 15 to 20 passengers, but set sail with 36 people on board, including the crew.
“Witnesses said that the boat lost balance about 10 minutes after leaving Badi Island in favorable weather,” Halik said, adding most passengers were local islanders on their way to Makassar to shop.
The boat was one of two plying the Badi-Makassar route, he added. – JP
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