Jakarta (VNA) – One person was reported missing and four others were rescued whena boat capsized in Indonesia’s Lake Toba on June 22 evening, just days afteranother boat sank in the lake in Sumatra.
Theaccident occurred after the engine of the passenger boat, named KM Ramos RismaMarisi, broke down when sailing to Nainggolan port in Samosir, an island at thecentre of the world’s biggest volcanic lake.
Itwas the second boat accident at Lake Toba within one week after KM Sinar Bangunferry, which was suspected to have been carrying more than 200 passengers and60 vehicles, capsized on its way to Tigaras port. Only 18 people survived inthe incident while three people have been found dead and at least 192 othersremained missing.
Thewooden boat KM Ramos Risma Marisi was carrying five passengers when itencountered technical problems with its engine at around 21:00 (local time)after dropping off several passengers at the nearby Sibandang island.
Headof the search and rescue agency Budiawan said the search team would continueits operation to look for the mission passenger after it stopped on June 22evening due to bad weather.
Meanwhile,the search for the 192 other passengers missing in the earlier accident iscontinuing.
The3,000-square-kilometre lake, which is the largest volcanic lake in the world,is a popular spot for local and international tourists.
Boat andferry tragedies are common in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000islands.-VNA