A ferry sinking leaves dozens dead and missing near Bali.

Indonesia fears the deaths of more than 40 of its citizens in a ferry sinking at the stroke of midnight. The vessel sank before reaching its destination in Bali, hours after leaving a port in the eastern part of the neighboring island of Java, the most populated in the archipelago. Rescue efforts have so far managed to save 23 survivors, out of a total of 53 passengers and 12 crew members. They have also pulled four bodies from the water, in some cases using fishing boats.

More than twelve hours after the shipwreck and now in broad daylight, search efforts continue on inflatable rafts, but with little hope for the 38 people still missing. If the worst predictions are confirmed, this would be one of the worst maritime tragedies in recent years for this landlocked country, which relies on ferries to connect its 922 inhabited islands, more than any other nation.

The ferry sank around 11:20 p.m. while traveling through the Bali Strait toward the famous tourist destination, the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office said in a statement. The cause of the accident is currently unknown. The boat departed about 20 minutes before the sinking from the city of Banyuwangi, east of Java, heading for the city of Gilimanuk, east of Bali. A journey of just three kilometers.

Judging by the passenger list, there were no foreigners among the victims, despite Bali being the archipelago's tourist epicenter. As seen in the photos, Banyumangi is a stronghold of Javanese Muslims and, along with its surrounding areas, is one of the few predominantly Muslim areas in Bali, where the overwhelming majority of the population practices a unique Hinduism.

Maritime accidents are common in Indonesia due to poor infrastructure, overloading of passengers and cargo, lax enforcement of safety regulations, and inclement weather.

In fact, the shipwreck in Bali wasn't the only nautical tragedy recorded in the country yesterday. Before noon, two young volunteers died in the Moluccas when their boat—carrying seven students and five islanders—came to an accident between Kai Kecil and Wahru islands, where they were supposed to load sand for a coral reef revitalization project.

In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world's deepest lakes off the island of Sumatra.