By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JAKARTA (Worthy News) – The tourist industry on Indonesia’s Sumatra island has been plunged into mourning after authorities confirmed at least eight domestic tourists were killed and 34 others injured when a wooden vessel sank in Bengkulu province. Previous estimates spoke of seven killed.
Muslikun Sodik, head of the Bengkulu Province Search and Rescue Office, told media that the incident occurred on Sunday at around 16:30 local time.
The boat, carrying 98 local tourists and six crew members, was returning to Bengkulu City from Tikus Island when it sank, witnesses said. The journey typically lasts between 40 and 60 minutes.
“When the ship was approaching Bengkulu City, it experienced engine failure amid bad weather with strong winds and high waves,” Sodik told the media.
“The ship was hit by huge waves, struck a reef, and began leaking before it sank,” he added.
“Seven people were killed, 15 others were rushed to RSHD Bengkulu, and 19 more were taken to the Bhayangkara Police Hospital in the province,” Sodik said.
Christians living in the area told Worthy News that weather may have played a role as there are “a lot of storms on Sumatra island.”
MORE TRAGEDIES
It was the latest tragedy to hit the region after last week at least 12 people were reportedly killed and more than five others injured in a single-vehicle bus accident in Padang Panjang city in West Sumatra province..
The incident involved a bus operated by the Antar Lintas Sumatra (ALS) company, traveling the Medan-Jakarta route. The bus reportedly lost control and overturned after experiencing a brake failure.
“The ALS bus experienced brake failure while moving at high speed. It failed to negotiate a bend and rolled over,” said Arkes Refagus, head of the transport department in Padang Panjang.
He added that the bus rolled to the left and struck a house fence. “The driver survived as he was seated on the right side, while the bus overturned to the left,” Refagus told Chinese news agency Xinhua.
The bus was reportedly carrying 25 passengers. All the victims were transported to two local hospitals.
Separately, in late March, four people were killed and three injured in Sukoharjo Regency when a train and a car collided, officials said.
The accident took place at a railway crossing on Pasarangutar Street. “Seeing this, everyone’s soul trembled,” a journalist commented. Feni Novida Saragih, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s state-owned railway company, said all the victims were immediately rushed to the hospital.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A government ban on major social media platforms that enraged young Nepalis has spiraled into the country’s deadliest political violence in decades, with authorities saying Sunday that at least 72 people have been killed and hundreds more injured during protests reflecting years of frustration over corruption, inequality, and “curbs on freedoms.”
Throughout the Hill Country, crosses, words of Jesus, prayers and messages of hope are written on memorials honoring nearly 150 killed from the catastrophic July 4 flash flood.
The NATO military alliance has begun rolling out its defensive posture on its eastern flank bordering Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. NATO leaders said the new equipment is aimed at deterring potential Russian aggression after at least 19 Russian drones entered Polish territory and Romania also reported a violation of its airspace.
Israel’s surprise strike on Hamas political leaders in Qatar showcased its growing arsenal of advanced ballistic missiles and its ability to deploy them at long range with precision, according to an exclusive report by the Wall Street Journal.
More than 100,000 people packed into central London on Saturday for what organizers billed as the largest free speech rally in British history. The “Unite the Kingdom” march, spearheaded by activist Tommy Robinson, featured a live video appearance by billionaire Elon Musk and a tribute to slain U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Christians in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province were among those struggling to survive Thursday, while in Indonesia, at least 19 people were confirmed dead after flash floods struck the tourist island of Bali and other regions as deadly monsoon waters swept across parts of South Asia.
Much of the world is mourning after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the born-again Christian conservative leader, who inspired his generation and whose widow praised him as a loving husband with a deep faith in Jesus Christ.