Indonesian ferry sinks with 242 passengers aboard; at least 1 dead but dozens rescued

Indonesian passenger ferry sinks with 242 aboard

JAKARTA, Indonesia — An Indonesian passenger ferry with almost 250 people aboard sank in rough waters off Sumatra island Sunday, killing at least one, police said, while a second ferry ran aground in nearby waters.

Rescue teams had found one body and rescued 97 people but high waves were making the operation difficult, said Brig. Gen. Puji Hartanto, police chief of Riau Kepulauan province. The passengers on the second ferry were all said to be safe.

The Dumai Express 10 left on an inter-island voyage Sunday morning and reportedly sank in poor weather 90 minutes into the trip from Batam to Dumai in Riau, a province off Sumatra island in western Indonesia. The area is about 600 miles (900 kilometers) northwest of Jakarta

The passenger manifest said it was carrying 228 passengers, including 15 children, said Yasin Kosasih, a local police chief. It was also carrying 14 crew, according to Lt. Col. Edwin, the local navy chief.

At least nine ships and several fishing boats were searching for those missing, Edwin said.

A journalist from el-Shinta radio reported from one of the rescue ships that passengers could be seen floating in the water around some small islets, but the ship could not reach them due to high waves and shallow waters. Passing boats have picked up dozens of those rescued.

In a separate accident Sunday, the Dumai Express 15, with 278 people on board ran aground amid the bad weather on its way from Batam to Moro island in Sumatra. All on board are safe, Kosasih said.

Indonesian ferry accidents have killed hundreds of people in recent years. Boats are often overcrowded and safety regulations are poorly enforced. The vast country spans more than 17,000 islands and boats are a popular and relatively cheap form of transportation.