Ferry runs aground off Suwangi Island, Indonesia

Strong winds and heavy rains caused a Ro-Pax ferry to run aground near Suwangi Island in the Indonesian province of South Kalimantan on Thursday, May 6.

The 30-metre Jembatan Musi II had earlier left Batulicin Port in Tanah Bumbu and was sailing for Kotabaru, South Kalimantan, when it came to rest on a shallow portion east of Suwangi Island at 11:40 local time.

The Batulicin Harbour Authority and some local police departments deployed patrol boats to the area to aid in the evacuation of the passengers and crew. Officials said that none of the 23 people on board were injured from the grounding and that no oil spills were sighted near the vessel.

Jembatan Musi II‘s cargo of vehicles, which include four lorries, two cars, and seven motorcycles, shifted following the grounding, causing a heavy list and adding difficulty to efforts to refloat the half-submerged vessel.

Refloating efforts were still ongoing as of Sunday, May 9.

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