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At least four people have died and dozens are missing <\/b>after a ferry sank off Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali, rescuers said.<\/p>\n
The boat was carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members when it sank at 23:20 local time (15:35 GMT) on Wednesday while on its way to Bali from Banyuwangi on the eastern coast of Java island, the Surabaya office of the National Search and Rescue Agency said.<\/p>\n
Twenty-nine survivors have been rescued, the agency says, as the search continues.<\/p>\n
Authorities are investigating the cause of the sinking. The ferry operator told local media that the vessel had reported engine trouble shortly before it sank.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Many of the survivors are residents of the coastal town of Banyuwangi while others came from more inland areas of Java, according to a list released by authorities.<\/p>\n
President Prabowo Subianto has ordered an immediate emergency response from Saudi Arabia, where he is on an official visit.<\/p>\n
The vessel’s route – one of Indonesia’s busiest – is often used by locals going between the islands of Java and Bali.<\/p>\n
Photos published by Antara news agency showed ambulances on standby and residents waiting for updates by the roadside. <\/p>\n
Marine accidents are frequent in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of around 17,000 islands, where uneven enforcement of safety regulations is a longstanding concern.<\/p>\n
In March, an Australian woman died after a boat with 16 people on board capsized off Bali.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n