Vessel capsizes off Indonesia’s Sulawesi, killing 13

The passenger boat, overloaded with holidaymakers celebrating Id, hit a large wave amid bad weather.

Boys sing and beat on improvised drums as they walk around their neighbourhood to wake up residents during Ramzan in Jakarta. Almost 32 million Indonesians are on the move this week in the annual Id exodus, official figures showed on Wednesday with disasters such as the instant one a possibility as most boats are packed with people.

At least 13 people died when a passenger boat overloaded with holidaymakers celebrating Id capsized off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Wednesday, officials said.Twenty-four surviving passengers were admitted to hospital but dozens are believed still missing, according to local disaster agency head Amiruddin.

The packed traditional wooden boat — known locally as a jolloro — left Makassar, provincial capital of South Sulawesi, in the afternoon for a short journey to the tiny resort island of Barrang Lompo, some 15 kilometres (9 miles) north-west of the city’s coast.

“The boat reportedly hit a large wave amid bad weather and capsized,” Mr. Amiruddin said.

The passengers were thought to be Barrang Lompo natives who work in Makassar and were heading home to spend the Islamic holiday Id-ul-Fitr with their families.

It was a packed boat

Makassar police chief Aris Bachtiar said the boat was overloaded. “We are still investigating,” he said, adding that the captain had been detained.

Almost 32 million Indonesians are on the move this week in the annual Id exodus, official figures showed on Wednesday.

It was the latest deadly maritime accident in the vast Indonesian archipelago, which relies heavily on boats to ferry people around its 17,000 islands but has a patchy safety record.

On New Year's Day, nine people died after a passenger boat capsized when travelling from the city of Tarakan to Tanjung Selor on Borneo island.