Australians rescue RI fishermen

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