Close shave: Survivors sitting on the hull of the capsized boat as they wait to be rescued after the snorkelling boat carrying tourists was hit by waves in Nusa Penida, near Bali. — AFP
A boat carrying 16 people has capsized in rough waters off the resort island of Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring at least one other person, authorities said.
The Sea Dragon 2 boat was travelling to Nusa Penida, a popular island near Bali, on Friday morning when it was hit by large waves, the island’s police chief Ida Bagus Putra Sumerta said.
The passengers, which included 11 Australian tourists, were rescued by a nearby boat.
At least two people were rushed to hospital, with one tourist pronounced dead, Ida said.
Another was treated for a burn injury.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement that at least two Australians were injured and that it was providing consular services to the family of another who was reported dead.
“We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” the statement said.
Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in Indonesia, a South-East Asian archipelago of around 17,000 islands, due to lax safety standards.
In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world’s deepest lakes on Sumatra island. — AFP
