Forty passengers have been rescued from a Singapore-flagged ferry after it ran aground off Indonesia on Monday.
The vessel, the Indera Bupala, had departed from Singapore’s Tanah Merah ferry terminal bound for Lobam Port in western Bintan.
The bulk of the passengers were Singaporeans, but were also said to include Japanese, French, Australian and American citizens.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the vessel ran into trouble after encountering bad weather and heavy rain.
There are no reports of injuries or oil pollution, according to Indonesian coast guard officials quoted by local media.
Built in Singapore in 1984, the 40 metre long ferry has the capacity to carry up to 286 passengers, according to its owner Bintan Resort Ferries.
The route between Singapore and the Indonesian islands of Batam and Bintan is a popular one for locals and boasts several ferry links.
In early March this year 50 passengers were left stranded off Batam after their ferry ran aground off the Indonesian island.
The Singapore-flagged Wavemaster 5 ran aground on Karang Galang reef en-route from Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia for Singapore when the incident occurred.
