Boat fire kills eight

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Eight people were killed and three others were listed as missing after a boat caught fire in the waters off Pemana Island, near Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara on Saturday morning.

The accident occurred when the wooden boat was traveling to Maumere from Pemana island. There were 56 people on board, 47 were passengers.

A senior police officer said on Sunday the fire started to gut the packed boat after an engine failed. "The engine trouble had led to an explosion in the boat's oil machine pump and the fire then spread to the boat's whole body," explained chief of Sikka police Adj. Sr. Comr. Sugeng Sunariyadi.

In a panic, some passengers jumped ship, but eight of them died because they could not swim while three others were swept away by the current. Several others were saved by fishermen, who were passing the area.

Rescue workers are still searching for the missing passengers. -- JP