Search for missing speedboat in Gorontalo postponed due to bad weather

The search for a speedboat that lost contact in Indonesia's Teluk Tomini, Gorontalo, has been postponed due to adverse weather conditions. The vessel was carrying 11 foreign tourists and was expected to arrive at Marisa Port in Pohuwato Regency.

Bad weather, characterized by waves between 1.5 and 2.5 meters high, has made search operations impossible for Friday night. "The weather tonight is not supportive because the waves are quite high between 1.5 to 2.5 meters. We will likely search for the boat tomorrow morning," said Heriyanto, head of Basarnas Gorontalo, to reporters on Friday.

The speedboat departed from Tojo Una-una Regency at approximately 7:00 AM WITA and was scheduled to reach its destination by 11:00 AM WITA. The group on board consisted of 13 people in total, including the captain and one crew member, in addition to the 11 foreign nationals.

Information regarding the speedboat's lost contact was received at 3:40 PM WITA. Authorities estimate the vessel was about 20 nautical miles from Tojo Una-una Regency when contact was lost. Basarnas Gorontalo is coordinating with Basarnas Palu, Lanal Gorontalo, and coastal radio stations to gather more information about the boat's whereabouts.