KM Nurul Salsa Sinks in Selayar Waters Carrying 17 Tonnes of Goods and Four Cows

The motor vessel KM Nurul Salsa, which sank in the waters off Selayar, South Sulawesi, was carrying 70 passengers and crew, along with a number of staple goods and plantation products. The ship was transporting 10 tonnes of rice, 2 tonnes of copra, and 5 tonnes of charcoal, totalling 17 tonnes of cargo, as well as four cows and six motorcycles, according to the manifest.

The vessel departed from Jampea Island on Wednesday at around 05:00 WITA. During the journey, it suffered engine trouble and eventually sank in waters approximately 43 nautical miles from Benteng Selayar Port. The engine failure occurred in the waters west of Polassi Island.

A joint SAR team evacuated passengers and crew. The KM Harapan Kita, travelling from Jampea Island, located and rescued a number of passengers from the KM Nurul Salsa on Thursday at around 04:00 WITA. A total of 49 people were evacuated, while six others were rescued by fishing boats near the scene and taken to Polassi Island.

Based on preliminary data, 49 people survived the sinking, and one person was reported dead. The joint SAR team is still searching for 24 missing individuals, with the total number of passengers and crew now reported as 74. Authorities noted that the casualty figures are not yet final, as they are awaiting information from family members.