Rough Weather Sinks Indonesian Ferry; Death Toll Tops 50

Eric Chaney
Published: November 4,2016
More bodies have been recovered after rough weather caused the sinking of a an overcrowded boat off the Indonesian island of Batam earlier this week, raising the death toll to more than 50.
Airlangga, a police spokesman for Riau Islands, which include Batam, told Reuters Friday morning that the latest death toll stands at 54, and six people are still missing.

An Indonesian marine uses binoculars from the deck of a rescue ship during a search operation for dozens of people still missing after an overcrowded speedboat capsized off Batam, Indonesia, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016.
(AP Photo/M Urip)

There were 101 people, including 3 crew members, on the speedboat carrying migrant workers and their families that capsized amid thunderstorms early Wednesday morning, according to the Associated Press.
“Storms developed Wednesday morning near Batam and again in the afternoon,” said weather.com meteorologist Linda Lam. “Thursday and Friday also saw additional rounds of rain and thunderstorms, especially Thursday night into Friday morning.”
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Nearly 40 of the passengers were rescued, but the continuing rough weather made rescue efforts difficult, Abdul Hamid, head of the local search and rescue agency told the AP.
"This search is not easy," he said. "Strong winds and currents were hampering our efforts and the sea was murky, making it difficult for rescuers to look below the surface."

Indonesian police officers carry the body of a victim in the capsizing of a speedboat in Batam, Indonesia, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016.
(AP Photo/M Urip)

November is the beginning of Indonesia’s wet season, Lam said, and stormy weather lasting days is not at all unusual.The boat was carrying Indonesian workers home from Malaysia, the AP reports, and police suspect the trip was illegal and the workers were undocumented because of the high fares that passengers said they paid.
The boat’s two surviving crew members were later arrested, the AP said.
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