Boat people stranded

GRESIK, East Java: Engine trouble forced 44 Vietnamese boat people to land on Sembilangan island, near the East Java coastal town of Gresik, Monday while en route to Australia, an official said yesterday.

Thirty-one men and 13 women were stranded, the Gresik port authority's spokesman, Suratno said. Seven were less than six years old.

A Surabaya marine patrol had found the Vietnamese stranded aboard their engine-driven wooden boat, and escorted them to the Gresik port at 8 p.m. Monday, he said.

The Vietnamese reportedly left Hanci, China, on March 10 for Australia after they had been chased away by local authorities, Antara reported. They had been stranded in Singga's waters off Pontianak, capital of West Kalimantan, after sailing for 13 days from China. (swe)