Indonesia: Dozens feared dead after boat capsizes in Kalimantan

USPA News - A boat carrying dozens of people capsized in a river in Indonesia`s island of Kalimantan killing at least one person while several others went missing, local authorities said Wednesday. The boat was carrying around 50 workers returning home after their shift at a local plywood company called Kalamur and traveling across the Mahakam River in Indonesia`s province of East Kalimantan, when it capsized at around 5:30 p.m. local time.

The national disaster management agency said a woman was confirmed dead, while rescue teams were able to rescue seventeen survivors. However, authorities are fearing the deaths of the missing workers, as the life vests located on the boat were apparently not used after the accident. The exact reason of the accident was not immediately confirmed, but reports indicate water began filtering in at the front of the boat due to an excess number of people sitting in that area, according to witnesses who spoke with local media. Although the boat`s operator called on those in front to move toward the back, they were not quick enough and the ill-fated boat eventually capsized. With a diverse archipelago consisting of 17,000 islands, unregulated boat transportation in the southeast Asian country of Indonesia often ends up in deadly accidents.