On Saturday, a tsunami in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait killed at least 222 and injured 843. The huge wave hit without warning at night destroying hundreds of homes and buildings, sweeping away cars and uprooting trees. Officials say more than 160 people were killed in … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Indonesia
After the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed nearly a quarter of a million people, the United States, Germany, and Malaysia donated an advanced tsunami warning system to Indonesia. When the city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia was … Continue reading
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami which struck the city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. At least 384 have been reported to be killed and 29 are missing. 540 are being treated in local hospitals. The wall of … Continue reading
The Bajau people of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia have lived for centuries at sea as hunter-gatherer nomads. They can spend up to five hours a day underwater, diving for fish, octopus and other seafood. The Bajau do not use any … Continue reading
A ferry across Lake Toba in North Sumatra sank on Monday in bad weather and a reported 192 are missing and feared dead. Only 18 survivors have been rescued. Rescuers looking for additional survivors have been hampered by high winds … Continue reading
MV Doulos once held the title of the oldest operating passenger liner. Now 103 years old, the historic ship may be close to beginning a new life as a shoreside hotel in the resort town of Bintan, Indonesia. When the refurbished ship … Continue reading
In February, we posted about the strange disappearance of entire wrecks of Dutch and Japanese ships sunk off the coast of Indonesia during World War II. It was believed that grab dredgers might have literally picked the ships apart for … Continue reading
For several years now, we have posted about the so-called ocean garbage patches, the great swaths of the oceans where plastic and other floating debris accumulate while riding on vast circular currents. The problem is that an estimated 8 million … Continue reading
A boat loaded with asylum seekers has capsized in Indonesian waters about 107 nautical miles north of Australia’s Christmas Island. The boat is reported to have had 150 passengers and crew aboard. CNN is reporting that 136 have been rescued by two merchants ships. … Continue reading
With a sad familiarity, another overloaded boat, filled with desperate asylum seekers trying to reach Australia’s Christmas Island, has capsized in Indonesian waters. Up to 200 people are believed to have been aboard the vessel when it capsized. Indonesia’s search and rescue authority … Continue reading
The Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency received a distress call Sunday night from the captain of a wooden ship bound for Australia. The ship was taking on water and carrying 120 Afghan refugees. The Afghans were picked up and taken by tanker … Continue reading
For most, a river or an ocean is a boundary. For a sailor, each is a highway. But, when did the first sailor set out across the water? Recent research suggests that the early man may have gone to sea, and indeed, … Continue reading
Last April we posted, Slavery at Sea ? Abuse of Sailors on New Zealand Chartered Fishing Vessels. Secret papers reveal the government has allowed fishermen from poor countries to be exploited in New Zealand waters. Workers are fishing in rusting boats turned … Continue reading
On December 15th last year a boat loaded with asylum seekers wrecked on Australia’s Christmas Island, killing 48 or more than half of the passengers aboard. On Saturday, a boat bound for Christmas Island sank off Indonesia roughly 50 miles off … Continue reading
Divers have found a huge “haul” of Ming Dynasty pottery on a ship that sank off the coast of Indonesia in 1580. What I find amazing about the discovery are the photos of the pottery on the bottom, still in … Continue reading