A Spanish family of four has been declared missing after a tourist speedboat sank in Indonesian waters near Padar Island, close to the popular destination of Labuan Bajo. The vessel, which was carrying 11 people, reportedly went down on Friday night in the Padar Island Strait amid rough sea conditions.
Okay News reports that seven people were rescued, including two Spanish tourists, four crew members and a tour guide, while search and rescue teams continued efforts on Saturday to locate the remaining four passengers.
Indonesian authorities said high waves of up to three metres made the initial rescue operation difficult, forcing a temporary suspension of some search activities.
Padar Island was closed to tourists on Saturday due to extreme weather, as officials warned of ongoing risks at sea. Marine accidents are relatively common in Indonesia’s vast archipelago of about 17,000 islands, often linked to poor safety standards and adverse weather conditions.
