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Four members of a Spanish family are missing after a boat carrying eleven people sank off the coast of Indonesia in extreme weather, Spanish and Indonesian authorities said.
The father and three of his children, who were on holiday in Indonesia, have been missing since Friday night when the boat capsized in waves of up to three metres in the Padar Island Strait near the island of Labuan Bajo, a popular tourist spot within the Komodo National Park.
Rescue teams searched the waters, still choppy with high waves and strong currents, from the early morning until 6pm local time, finding wreckage and debris of the boat.
Authorities halted the search overnight and will resume on Sunday morning local time Indonesia’s search and rescue agency SAR said in a statement.
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Members of search and rescue teams evacuate foreign tourists in the waters of Padar Island (BASARNAS/AFP via Getty Images)
The mother and one daughter from the Spanish family, as well as four crew members and a tour guide, were rescued and safe, the agency added.
Videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed the operation taking place in rough seas. Indonesia is an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, and ferries and boats are a common form of transportation.
With lax safety standards and problems with overcrowding, accidents occur frequently.
Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its rugged landscapes, pristine beaches and the endangered Komodo dragon. The park attracts thousands of visitors for diving, trekking and wildlife tours.
Survivors were treated at the port office in Labuan Bajo city as strong waves up to 2.5 metres high and darkness hampered emergency responders overnight, Rahman said. As conditions improved Saturday morning, rescuers intensified the search, which involved multiple rescue units in rigid inflatable boats and a rescue ship with the assistance of local fishermen and residents.