Photo taken on June 19, 2018 shows Indonesian search and rescue team during operation for the sunken boat in North Sumatera Province, Indonesia. Rescuers continued search on Tuesday for at least 94 people who are still missing after a boat capsized in Lake Toba of North Sumatra in western Indonesia a day earlier, officials said. (Xinhua/Albert Damanik)
JAKARTA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers continued search on Tuesday for at least 94 people who are still missing after a boat capsized in Lake Toba of North Sumatra in western Indonesia a day earlier, officials said.
A statement obtained by Xinhua from the national police headquarters said the number of the missing is expected to rise as families keep reporting their missing family members.
The statement said one person was dead and 18 others rescued, which is lower than the number reported on Monday by head of provincial disaster agency Riadil Luebis, who said 19 were rescued.
Kapal Motor Sinar Bangun boat sank at 5:30 p.m. local time (1030 GMT) on Monday after departing Simanindo port in Samosir district and was 1.61 km away from its destination of Tigaras Parapat of Simalungun district.
Seven boats with over 25 personnel in each of them were dispatched to recover and rescue the victims, but the operation was hampered by unfavorable weather condition, said Mahler Tamba, head of operational unit at disaster management office in Samosir district.
"The search is being undertaken at the scene and is being expanded by up to 2 kilometers from the spot," Tamba told Xinhua via telephone from one of the searching boats.
He said the cloudy and rainy weather, among others, was hindering the rescue mission. "Hopefully tomorrow the sun will shine brightly," he added.
Tamba said several bags, a jacket, an identity card and other items have been found in the scene.
Taking boats or ships is a favorable way of transportation in Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation, but lack of standards of safety has often caused accidents.
