Eighteen feared dead after boat sinks off northern coast of Papua

Eighteen feared dead after boat sinks off northern coast of Papua

Eighteen people including 11 children are missing feared dead after their boat capsized in huge waves off the northern coast of the Indonesian province of Papua, an official said on Sunday. The boat carrying 19 people sank Tuesday about three miles from the town of Sarmi, said Djoko Sungkowo of Papua's Search and Rescue agency. Speaking from his office in Papua's capital Jayapura, Sungkowo said only one man survived the accident by swimming to Sarmi. There were 11 children and some women aboard the boat, he said, adding that it may have been overloaded. A search was still underway involving ships and helicopters, he added. Boat accidents are common in Indonesia, a vast archipelago where safety rules are poorly enforced and rescue vessels are often unavailable. -- AP