Ferry sinks in Indonesia’s Lake Toba, at least one dead, dozens missing.
An estimated 18 people were rescued and one was confirmed dead from among about 80 passengers aboard a ferry that sank in Lake Toba in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province, a disaster agency official said.
The Sinar Bangun ferry sank in rough weather around 5:30pm (local time) off the port of Tigaras, carrying passengers from the lake’s Samosir Island, Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPT) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
Mr Nugroho said search and rescue efforts had involved two other ferries and one wooden boat had been hampered by weather conditions in the area on Monday night.
It was not immediately clear if any of the missing passengers were foreigners.
The 1,145-square kilometre lake, formed out of an ancient super volcano, is a popular sightseeing destination.
Maher Tamba, an official with the local disaster agency, said at least half a dozen vessels were searching for survivors. Bad weather and high waves were hampering the search, he said.
Ferry accidents are common in Indonesia, a vast archipelago, especially during the Islamic holiday of Eid when millions make the annual journey by land, sea, and air to their hometowns after the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Last week a longboat carrying around 43 people sank off Makassar on Sulawesi island, leaving 13 dead, and a speedboat carrying 30 passengers sank off South Sumatra, killing at least two.
Lake Toba, a popular tourist destination promoted by the government, fills the caldera of a giant dormant volcano and is the largest lake in Indonesia and one of the deepest in the world.
