21 Rescued After Boat Sinks Off Indonesian Island

Indonesian search and rescue teams rescued all 21 people aboard a small passenger vessel on Tuesday morning, a day after the boat sank in rough seas off Taliabu Island in North Maluku province.

The Nazila 05 departed from a port on Taliabu Island just after dusk on Sunday, heading for Kema in neighboring North Sulawesi province. The vessel, often used to transport tourists and fishing crew, carried 21 passengers and crew members, according to officials. Initial reports had listed 27 people as missing, but survivors later explained that six individuals named on the manifest had canceled their travel plans.

Muhammad Rizal, head of the search and rescue office in Palu city, Central Sulawesi, said the boat's captain reported to the owner that high waves broke the vessel's bow during stormy weather. About 30 minutes later, the captain confirmed the Nazila 05 had sunk. All aboard evacuated to a longboat, which relatives said they tied to a makeshift raft to stay afloat as it drifted in choppy waters.

Rescuers located the group approximately 46 kilometers from the sinking site in the northern waters near Taliabu Island. The operation involved two rescue vessels, an inflatable boat, and...