A ship went down early Monday in the waters off Indonesia's Southeast Sulawesi province, leaving 15 people dead and 19 others missing, an official said.

The incident occurred at about 00:00 a.m. local time at the Mawasangka Gulf in Central Buton Regency, said Yusuf Latief, head of the national search and rescue office.

He said that a total of 40 people were on board.

The casualties were handed to the families after being identified, and the survivors are having medical treatments, according to him.