A group of 11 European tourists has gone missing after their speedboat disappeared in Indonesia, a popular holiday destination. The vessel was last reported off a bay on Sulawesi island on Friday afternoon and has not been located since it failed to reach its destination at Marisa Port in Gorontalo province.
The boat set off from Tojo Unauna regency in Central Sulawesi province on Friday morning but never arrived as scheduled, according to authorities. The incident was reported by a local tour guide to the search and rescue office, prompting an immediate search operation led by the Gorontalo Province Search and Rescue Office.
Search efforts have been hampered by challenging sea conditions with high waves reaching up to 2.5 meters. The missing tourists include individuals from various European countries and two Indonesian crew members.
Rescue teams have been deployed to cover a vast area of waters along and around Tomini Bay, a popular marine tourist spot known for its numerous islands. A thermal-imaging drone and diving equipment are being utilized in the search operation.
Indonesia, an archipelago with over 17,000 islands, frequently experiences boat and ferry accidents due to safety issues, overloading, and unpredictable weather conditions. Just recently, on July 15, a passenger boat carrying 76 people sank off Selayar Island, resulting in casualties and missing individuals.
Embassies representing the missing tourists have not issued any immediate comments on the situation. The search and rescue teams continue their efforts in the expansive waters of Indonesia to locate the missing speedboat and its passengers.