Australians rescue RI fishermen

JAKARTA: An Australian ship rescued six Indonesian men clinging to a makeshift raft in the Arafura Sea on Friday, two days after their fishing boat sank off Australia's north coast, Australian marine authorities said.

They were first spotted by Australian air coast guards on Friday morning, said Australian Marine Safety Authority spokesman Ben Mitchell, about 70 nautical miles from the northern Australian town of Maningrida.

"The Australian Marine Safety Authority issued an emergency broadcast out to the ships in the area. The vessel Cape Preston responded and that ship arrived at the men at about 3:30 p.m. local time," Mitchell told reporters.

Through translators, the men said their fishing boat sank Wednesday after striking an "unknown object," he said.

"They have been on the raft since then. It was a small makeshift raft just able to support the six people."

The men will eventually be airlifted from the cargo ship and flown to Maningrida, Mitchell said.

"They have indicated they wish to return to Indonesia," he said, adding that all were "safe and well ... but there have been some minor injuries." -- AFP