Indonesia conducts search, rescue after ferry sinks in Bali Strait

JAKARTA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities have launched a search and rescue operation after a ferry sank in the Bali Strait in the early hours of Thursday, local media reported.

According to a provisional report cited by the state-owned ANTARA news agency, the vessel KM Tunu Pratama Jaya was en route from Ketapang Port in East Java to Gilimanuk Port in Bali when it sank at around 00:19 local time.

The ferry was reported to be carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members at the time of the incident. The cause of the sinking is still under investigation.

Several ships have been deployed to the area to assist in the search for victims, with crews relying on onboard lighting systems to conduct operations during nighttime hours.■