(JEMBRANA, GILIMANUK, Jul. 3 (Reuters): Indonesian rescuers on Thursday temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya sank almost half an hour after leaving East Java province's Banyuwangi port on its way to Bali late on Wednesday, the agency said.

The rescuers called off the search on Thursday evening due to a "visibility problem", Nanang Sigit, the head of East Java rescue agency told Reuters, adding that 29 people had been rescued so far.

He said the operation would resume on Friday morning, with more than 160 rescuers including police and military personnel deployed to conduct the search backed by four vessels and several helicopters.

The boat was carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members, as well as 22 vehicles, the national agency said.

The ship was rated to carry 67 people and 25 vehicles, according to Indonesia's transport ministry.

Photo from Reuters