Indonesian Ferry Capsizing: Wooden Passenger Boat Overturns Near Sulawesi Coast Sparking Massive Rescue Search

Makassar, Indonesia—High waves battered the wooden hull of an overloaded regional ferry just minutes after it cleared the coastal reef line off the southern tip of Sulawesi. Swelling ocean swells crashed over the open deck, shifting cargo and passengers to one side until the vessel lost all stability and rolled completely upside down.

Screams echoed across the dark water as dozens of travelers were hurled into the churning sea amid floating life jackets, crates, and fuel containers. Crew members struggled to cut away emergency life rafts before the vessel sank beneath the surface.

National Search and Rescue Agency vessels and local fishing boats deployed from regional harbors as soon as distress calls reached maritime dispatchers. Gale-force winds and heavy rain squalls severely hampered initial night-time search sweeps across the open shipping lane.

Survivors clinging to floating debris reported that passenger manifests drastically understated the actual number of people onboard the inter-island transport. Coast guard patrols pulled dozens of exhausted travelers from the water, transferring them to military medical cutters.

Regional hospitals prepared emergency triage units to receive rescued passengers suffering from hypothermia and saltwater aspiration. Transport ministry officials announced an immediate freeze on departure permits for wooden vessels operating in the eastern archipelago.

Families of missing passengers gathered at the Makassar port authority office, demanding answers from maritime supervisors regarding overloading and weather warnings. Search teams widened their oceanic grid as morning light broke over the choppy waters.

Naval diving units prepared to inspect the submerged hull resting on the shallow sea shelf if weather conditions permitted. Investigators started interviewing surviving crew members to determine passenger counts and cargo weight distribution.

The frantic maritime search operation continued under grey storm clouds, with rescue helicopters sweeping back and forth across the white-capped ocean swells.