Sharjah24 – AFP: The death toll of a ferry sinking in Indonesian waters rose to 19 on Monday, after a 10-day search and rescue operation was called off, authorities said.
The KM Ladang Pertiwi ran out of fuel and sank in bad weather while sailing through Indonesia's Makassar Strait in South Sulawesi province on May 26.
News of the accident only reached officials two days later, prompting a search and rescue operation that involved local fishermen and tugboats passing through the strait.
Authorities rescued 31 passengers and crew, found four bodies and declared 15 missing before the search effort concluded. Those who were missing are now presumed dead.
"We are calling off the search because there are no signs that more victims could be found," local search and rescue chief Djunaidi, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP.
The ship's captain, who survived the sinking, was named last week as a suspect for transporting passengers without the necessary permit and the ship's owner was named as a suspect for hiring crew without the proper qualifications, local media reported.
Djunaidi said local fishermen who regularly sail the area were told to alert the authorities if they found more bodies.
He said the search operation could be reopened if there were any signs of survivors.
Djunaidi told a press conference Monday that the incident served as a reminder to "prioritise our safety".
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