Simalungun — An Indonesian ferry that capsized and sank with scores of people aboard has been found by search teams combing the depths of one of the world’s deepest lakes, authorities said Friday. The vessel was believed to be operating illegally with no manifest and an insufficient number of life jackets when it went down on Lake Toba, a picturesque tourist destination in Sumatra. Authorities have struggled to pinpoint the exact number onboard when it went down nearly two weeks ago, in one of Indonesia’s deadliest maritime accidents. Remotely operated vehicles found the boat on Thursday night about 420m below the surface of the lake, the national search and rescue agency said. Grainy video and photo footage showed several bodies and motorcycles, which the boat had been carrying, on the lake bed. "Victims were seen at a depth of 455m — they were outside of the boat," Nugroho Budi Wiryanto, a spokesperson for the agency, told reporters. "The vessel was found 420m deep," he added. At ...
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