Report: Indonesian passenger ferry sinks with hundreds of people onboard, dozens rescued

Report: Indonesian passenger ferry sinks with 228

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian television says a passenger ferry with more than 200 people onboard sank in rough waters near Sumatra island.

Yasin Kosasih, a police chief in Riau province, says the Dumai Express 10 left on an inter-island voyage Sunday morning and reportedly sank in poor weather 90 minutes into the trip.

The passenger manifest says it was carrying 228 passengers including 15 children from the port of Batam to Dumai in Riau, Sumatra.

Local police spokesman Anggaria Lopes says dozens have been rescued and a search operation is ongoing.

Indonesian ferry accidents have killed hundreds of people in recent years. Boats are often overcrowded and safety regulations are poorly enforced.