Pulau Burung, Riau - Tragedy struck Indonesia's waters once again as the speed boat SB Evelyn Calisca 01 sank in the waters of Bird Island, Riau today. The speed boat was en route from Tembilahan, Riau to Tanjungpinang, Kepri province.

According to information received by Batamnews.co.id, there were an estimated 70 passengers on board, with 20 of them presumed dead and 40 still trapped inside the capsized boat.

An SAR officer in his report also stated that there were still many passengers trapped inside the Evelyn speed boat out of the approximately 60 passengers on board. Batamnews is still trying to confirm the accuracy of the number of victims. However, rescuers are currently busy evacuating the victims and searching for those missing.

SB Evelyn was supposed to have a smaller number of passengers on board due to its small size. "The boat should not have carried that many passengers because of its size," said an eyewitness on Thursday (27/4/2023).

The boat is said to have sunk after hitting a large piece of wood and being overloaded with passengers. SB Evelyn departed half an hour earlier than another boat, SB Rheny, which was on the same route from Tembilahan to Tanjung Pinang.

After the accident, wooden boats passing through the area helped in the evacuation process. Several passengers were rescued, but many were still trapped inside the boat. The situation at the accident site was heart-wrenching, with many passengers crying and screaming for help.

The crew of Evelyn and SB Rheny Fadillah worked hard to save the trapped passengers, including a one-month-old baby. All the crew and passengers who were rescued prayed for the safety of those still trapped inside the boat and for their own safety.

The process of evacuating the passengers is still ongoing. Passing boat crews and local residents continue to try to evacuate the victims and provide assistance as quickly as possible.