Ferry sinks: 100 feared dead
2006-04-18 08:00
Jakarta - A motorised passenger boat believed to be carrying around 100 people sank in eastern Indonesia after it was swamped by heavy waves, a port official said on Tuesday.
The boat went down late on Monday close to Rote island, said Piter Fina, the head of the region's main port on the Indonesian side of Timor island.
At least two people survived the accident and told officials around 100 other passengers were on board, he said. The fate of those passengers was unknown, Fina said.
"We have ordered all available boats to search for survivors," Fina told The Associated Press by telephone. "They have the potential to save lives."
Accidents at sea are common in Indonesia, a vast archipelago where boat travel is the only way to reach many islands. Safety measures are poorly enforced, and many crafts lack enough life jackets and other safety equipment.
Authorities often have trouble knowing the exact number of people on board vessels that sunk because passenger manifests are often not kept or inaccurate.
In March this year, another ferry sunk close to Rote, which is around some 2 000km east of Jakarta. Some 40 people drowned, but more than 100 people were rescued by passing ships.
- AP