Indonesia confirms 66 bodies found after boat accident

By Ainur Rohmah

JAKARTA

Indonesia’s search and rescue agency Basarnas announced Saturday that efforts to find 12 victims who remain missing after last weekend’s boat accident would be extended by three days.

Brigadier General Ahmad Ivan Riski, director of operations and exercises at Basarnas, said the extension was decided upon due to the discovery of dozens of bodies to the south of Sulawesi island in the past few days.

"A total of 106 victims have been found, with 66 of them reported dead, 40 alive and 12 missing,” Tempo.co quoted him as saying.

Three of the bodies were recovered Saturday, the operation’s seventh day – the amount of time Basarnas policy allocates to search efforts before deciding on whether to suspend or continue them.

The KM Marina had been traveling from Kolaka regency, Southeast Sulawesi province, to Wajo city to the west when it was hit by large waves last Saturday and its crew reported to port authorities that the vessel had begun taking in water.

Indonesia's waterways serve as a widespread form of transportation in some areas of the country, where accidents resulting from overcrowded boats and lax safety standards are common.