Nine fishermen from Rote Island in East Nusa Tenggara province reportedly went missing after their boat capsized in the waters off Pasir Island, Timor Sea.
Australian patrol officers found the fishing boat, Kuda Laut, overturned in the waters, Chief of the Kupang Search and Rescue (SAR) Office Emy Freezer informed on Monday.
“As per a report, the fishing boat carried 12 crew members and 9 of them have gone missing,” Freezer said.
Three fishermen who survived the mishap are receiving medical treatment in Australia.
One of the nine missing crew members was the boat’s skipper and has been identified as Yohanis Balu, Freezer said.
The Kupang SAR Office is coordinating with the relevant parties to find the nine crew members who went missing in the waters off Pasir Island, which is located 320 kilometers from the northwestern coast of Australia, or 170 kilometers south of Rote Island.
Source: Antara News