Indonesia Ferry Disaster Death Toll Rises to 66, Newspaper Reports

The death toll from a ferry disaster in Indonesia has risen to 66, according to a report cited by TASS, with 69 people still unaccounted for as search and rescue operations entered their 16th day.

TASS's report did not specify the exact location of the disaster, the date the ferry sank or capsized, or how many people were aboard the vessel when the incident occurred.

Indonesia, an archipelago nation with extensive inter-island ferry networks, has experienced a series of maritime accidents in recent years, often attributed to overcrowding, aging vessels, or poor weather conditions during crossings between its thousands of islands.

The report did not detail what search methods are being used to locate the missing or whether authorities expect to recover additional bodies as the operation continues, nor did it indicate whether an investigation into the cause has been opened.

Sixteen days after the initial incident, the continued search for dozens of missing people underscores the scale of the disaster, which ranks among the more severe maritime accidents reported in the region in recent months.