Five survivors found clinging to fish trap after Indonesian boat sinks with dozens missing

Jerusalem Post/World NewsForty-nine survivors were located in total since the boat sank last week, though another 20 people reportedly remain missing as the search continues.Follow us on GoogleRescuers search for missing people during an operation after a passenger boat KM Nurul Salsa sank off Selayar island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 17, 2026.(photo credit: National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS)/Handout via REUTERS)ByJERUSALEM POST STAFFJULY 19, 2026 08:28Rescuers found five survivors of a sunk passenger boat in Indonesian waters on Saturday, according to ABC News. The rescued include a seven-year-old girl. Some 49 survivors have been located in total since the boat sank last week, though another 20 people reportedly remain missing.The passenger boat, KM Nurul Salsa, was carrying 78 passengers and crew when it sank on Wednesday, approximately 80 km. from its departure port on Jampea Island in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, after the ship experienced engine failure.An outrigger fishing boat is seen during sunset in Waingapu, East Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara on June 24, 2026. (credit: BAY ISMOYO/AFP via Getty Images)Weather challenges search as it continues; 20 people remain missingMuhammad Arif Anwar, head of the Makassar Search and Rescue Office, said that the five survivors were found clinging to a fish trap left in the sea by a local fisherman. They were evacuated by a passing fishing boat before being transferred to a search-and-rescue boat, according to ABC."They were taken to the port in Benteng town for health checkups and information gathering," Anwar said in a statement.“The challenge is the weather, with waves 2 meters to 2.5 meters high at the search site. The winds are also strong. That’s the main challenge,” Anwar said.The Indonesian National Armed Forces, the country's national police, and private citizens are continuing the search operation.Follow us on Google