Medical Transport Vessel Goes Missing in Makassar Strait

[Brief] A medical transport vessel has gone missing in the Makassar Strait, leaving three people mysteriously unaccounted-for.

The vessel went missing while transiting between two tiny islands in the center of the Indonesian archipelago. It departed Pulau Tinggalungang - on the western edge of the Flores Sea - and headed north for the small island community of Pulau Dewakang, some 50 nautical miles off the southwestern tip of Sulawesi. It should have been an eight-hour voyage for the small vessel, but it never arrived, and it was reported missing.

According to Antara, three residents of Tinggalungan were on board the vessel. The Basarnas rescue vessel Kamajaya has been dispatched to search the area for the missing transport, joined by local rescue assets from the Makassar regional station. As of Thursday morning local time, the Kamajaya was running a search pattern to the south and west of Dewakang, AIS data provided by Pole Star Global shows.

"The Makassar KPP Rescue Team together with the potential for SAR are still searching for the whereabouts of the ambulance ship," said Makassar Basarnas chief Muhammad Arif Anwar, speaking to Antara.