http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-12/30/content_5550274.htm
Breaking News: INDONESIAN SHIP WITH 850 PASSENGERS SINKS 2006-12-30
12:48:51
JAKARTA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A passenger ship with 727 people on
board sank in waters off Central Java province of Indonesia on Saturday and
rescue team could not reach the accident site due to poor weather, a rescue
team said.
Head of the rescue operation who only gave his name as Riyadi told
Xinhua on telephone that none of the people on board can be rescued so far as
the team cannot reach the accident site due to strong winds and high waves.
"We cannot reach the area because waves with six meters high hamper
us to move forward," he said.
"Over 600 passengers and 47 crews were on board," said Riyadi.
But Indonesian Armed Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Soenarto said nine
people were rescued.
The KNP Senopati ship sank at 00:00 Jakarta time after leaving a port
in Semarang, the capital city of the province, for Banjarmamsin of South
Kalimantan province, said the spokesman.
"The ship sank after sailing 20 miles north Mandalika Island north of
the Central Java province," said Soenarto.
The poor weather with giant waves was blamed for the accident, said
Soenarto.
In addition, the ship also leaked, according to Riyadi.
"We got information that the ship leaked," he said, adding that the
Indonesian Navy deployed four of its ships to help rescue the passengers and
crew, said Riyadi.
Related story:
Indonesia: ship sinks, hundreds feared dead
BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Hundreds of people are feared dead
after a ship with 850 passengers onboard sank Saturday in a storm off the coast
of Centeral Java, a navy officer told Indonesian radio.
Navy Commander Col. Yan Simamora said the Senopati went down at
around midnight Friday while traveling from Sumarang on Central Java to the
port of Kumai on Central Kalimantan province.
He told El-shinta radio rescue workers have found nine survivors but
that he feared the others may be dead.
"So far, the rescue team, using helicopters and ships has been
searching for other passengers, but limited visibility and bad weather is
hampering the rescue," he said. "Because of the high waves and wind, I'm afraid
many have died."
(Agencies)
Ship reported sinking in Indonesia's South Kalimantan waters
JAKARTA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A ship with 25 crewmembers on board was
reported to have sank in the Suar mandalika waters some 30 miles of South
Kalimantan at the wee hours on Saturday.
"The East Java naval base has sent a warship and a nomad aircraft to
help rescue the victims," Antara news agency quoted spokesman of the Navy's
Eastern Fleet Let. Col. Toni Syaiful as saying in Surabaya, capital of East
Java province, on Saturday. Full Story
Editor: Gareth Dodd
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