One person is confirmed dead while 17 others have been reported as missing after a speedboat capsized off Papua province in Indonesia on the night (local time) of Wednesday, December 24.
The unnamed vessel was travelling between Serui City and Waindu in Papua's Yapen Islands Regency when it overturned due to strong winds and rough waves.
Of the 21 people who were on board, only three were safely rescued while a fourth individual was found deceased on the afternoon of Saturday, December 27.
Indonesia's national search and rescue (SAR) agency Basarnas is leading the effort to locate the boat's missing passengers.
The operation is being conducted concurrently with the SAR effort in the wake of a separate tour boat capsizing incident that occurred near the famed Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara province on Friday, December 26.
Following the second incident, seven people were rescued while four Spanish tourists including three small children have not yet been found.
