Seven-year-old among five found alive after Sulawesi passenger boat sinks

Rescuers have pulled five people from the water off Indonesia, among them a seven-year-old girl, after they spent three days stranded following a vessel going down south of Sulawesi. Efforts continue to find at least 20 more who remain unaccounted for.

A fishing craft spotted the survivors — a man, three women and the child — near Matallang Island off Sulawesi before nightfall on Saturday and transferred them to a search-and-rescue craft. They had kept themselves above water by holding onto a fish trap and floating wreckage after the KM Nurul Salsa lost power and went under on Wednesday. The boat had been carrying 78 passengers and crew.

Local search-and-rescue official Muhammad Arif Anwar said: “After the ship sank, each of them saved themselves using whatever equipment or makeshift flotation they could find.” He added: “They rigged together jerry cans and pieces of cork tied up with rope, then climbed on top of them.”

The five told those who found them that they had set out as part of a party of 25, but fierce winds later drove them apart from the rest. Domestic outlets said 47 people were recovered the day after the sinking, and one fatality has been confirmed.

Five large vessels, a reconnaissance plane and a helicopter remain committed to locating those still missing. The KM Nurul Salsa had been travelling from Jampea Island toward Benteng harbour on Selayar Island in South Sulawesi province when it went down roughly 43 nautical miles (79km) from port.

Ferries and small passenger craft are everyday transport across Indonesia’s sprawling network of more than 17,000 islands. Weak safety rules and overcrowding regularly lead to mishaps. Earlier this month, at least six people were killed and scores went missing when a ferry with 65 people aboard sank near the tourist island of Bali.