JAKARTA - A ship with 850 passengers aboard sank overnight as it travelled between Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province on Borneo to Central Java province on the country's main island, Elshinta news radio reported on Saturday. Indonesia's Metro television put the number on board at more than 500.
A navy official told Elshinta nine people had been saved so far by rescuers. "The ship sank about midnight last night. We got information there are nine people rescued and taken to Bawean island. But it is difficult for us to evacuate because of bad weather," said Central Java Navy commander Colonel Yan Simamora.
Rescuers were trying to locate the ship's position by helicopter, and three navy vessels and one police ship were involved in rescue efforts, he said. Simamora said the ship, "Senopati", sank in the Java Sea near Central Java.
Ships and ferries are a popular means of transport among Indonesia's 17,000 islands, where sea connections are cheaper and more available than air routes. However, safety standards are not strictly enforced, and vessels often carry passengers not listed on the official manifests.
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JAKARTA - A ship with 850 passengers aboard sank overnight as it travelled between Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province on Borneo to Central Java province on the country's main island, Elshinta news radio reported on Saturday. Indonesia's Metro television put the number on board at more than 500.
