Passenger ship sinks in Indonesia, 18 deaths reported
Rescuers have found 18 dead bodies and temporarily stopped searching for at least 8 others who have gone missing after a wooden ship sank in the waters of South Kalimantan province of Indonesia on Monday, Xinhua reported.
Head of Search and Rescue Office of the province Rusli Ansyah told Xinhua over phone from the province that the accident took place at midday on Monday, about two hours after the ship with more than 100 people on board departed from Tanjung Dewa.
The ship was heading to Serongga of the province, he said.
"So far we have found 18 bodies. As many as 74 people have been rescued safely," Ansyah said.
He said that a search and rescue had been carried out by those from his office, sailors and volunteers after the accident, but it is temporarily stopped in the evening and will resume on Tuesday morning.
Extreme weather has been blamed for the sea accident, according to Ansyah.
Ship is a favorable transport mean in the archipelago country with over 17,500 islands.
Head of Search and Rescue Office of the province Rusli Ansyah told Xinhua over phone from the province that the accident took place at midday on Monday, about two hours after the ship with more than 100 people on board departed from Tanjung Dewa.
The ship was heading to Serongga of the province, he said.
"So far we have found 18 bodies. As many as 74 people have been rescued safely," Ansyah said.
He said that a search and rescue had been carried out by those from his office, sailors and volunteers after the accident, but it is temporarily stopped in the evening and will resume on Tuesday morning.
Extreme weather has been blamed for the sea accident, according to Ansyah.
Ship is a favorable transport mean in the archipelago country with over 17,500 islands.
