AT least one person has died and dozens are missing after a boat carrying 80 people capsized today in Indonesia, an official from the national disaster agency said.

The vessel overturned in Lake Toba in the province of North Sumatra, more than 1,300km from Jakarta.

“Six passengers have been rescued, one is dead,” said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Authorities have deployed rescue vessels and the search is ongoing, but bad weather is hindering the operation.

Indonesia has been celebrating the Aidilfitri since Friday and millions go on holiday during the festivities, with Lake Toba a popular tourist destination.

The sinking is the latest in a string of deadly maritime accidents in the vast Indonesian archipelago, which relies heavily on boats to ferry people around its 17,000 islands but has a poor safety record. – AFP, June 18, 2018.