Key facts
- Eleven European tourists and one Indonesian crew member were found alive after their speedboat sank.
- The vessel departed a dive resort in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, and failed to arrive as scheduled.
- Rescuers faced challenging sea conditions, including strong winds and high waves.
- Survivors stated severe weather caused the boat to break apart.
- The captain of the speedboat remains missing.
- The rescued passengers have been evacuated to a resort.
Indonesian rescuers have found 11 European tourists and one local crew member alive after their speedboat broke apart and sank in rough weather off Sulawesi island. The vessel departed a dive resort in the Tojo Unauna regency on Friday morning, bound for Marisa Port, but failed to arrive as scheduled.
Concerns were raised when the boat did not arrive by the afternoon, prompting an immediate search operation. The search teams, covering approximately 300 square nautical miles, faced challenging sea conditions including strong winds and waves up to 2.5 meters high. Survivors reported that severe weather caused the boat to break apart, leading them to reach a liferaft while the captain remained with the sinking vessel.
The nationalities of the tourists include five Dutch, three German, one Czech, and one French. The two Indonesian crew members were also on board. While the 11 tourists and one crew member were located, the vessel's 29-year-old captain remains unaccounted for. Rescue operations will continue for up to seven days, and the rescued passengers have been evacuated to a resort.