Survivor recounts four days adrift after ferry sinking in Indonesia

Ardita, a 17-year-old survivor of the KM Nurul Salsa ferry sinking, described her harrowing four-day struggle for survival at sea. Clinging to a piece of styrofoam with four other individuals, she endured extreme conditions before being rescued by a fishing vessel in the waters of Selayar Regency, South Sulawesi.

The incident occurred on Wednesday (July 15) around 5:00 AM WITA, shortly after the ferry departed from Jampea Island. Ardita recounted that the vessel began to list and sink due to engine failure approximately 43 nautical miles from Benteng Selayar Port. "It was about to sink. It was already listing. So at that moment, I immediately jumped into the water and managed to grab a piece of styrofoam to hold onto," she explained.

For four days, Ardita and the other survivors floated on the styrofoam without food or water, exposed to intense sunlight. "No food, (weather) no rain. I did manage to sleep, but only briefly, I don't know for how many minutes," she said. They repeatedly saw fishing boats pass by at a distance, but their calls for help went unheard until a fishing vessel finally spotted them and provided rescue.