PALU: Rescue teams raced early Tuesday to find 27 people believed to be drifting on a raft in Indonesian waters a day after their boat sank in rough seas.

The passenger boat departed Taliabu port in North Maluku province just after dusk Sunday. It was bound for Kema in North Sulawesi province before sinking in the northern waters of Taliabu Island, said Muhammad Rizal, who heads the search and rescue office in Palu city.

The owner of the Nazila 05 told authorities the boat's captain had reported the vessel sank after its bow was broken by high waves during rough weather.

“All 27 people aboard managed to evacuate using a longboat before the ship went down,” Rizal said, “However, their current location remains unknown.”

Relatives reported the victims had tied themselves to a raft, and the National Search and Rescue Agency said a rescue vessel was heading toward the estimated location where the raft was believed to be drifting in choppy waters.

The search team also had an inflatable boat and were being assisted by local fishermen, Rizal said.

The Nazila 05 was frequently used to transport tourists and was also known locally as a fishing or small passenger vessel, Rizal said.

Indonesia is an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, where boats are a common form of transportation. With lax safety standards and problems with overcrowding, accidents occur frequently.