Ferry runs aground in Sunda Strait

MERAK, Banten: A ferry sailing early on Saturday from Bakauheni, Lampung, to Merak, West Java, ran aground near a small island in the Sunda Strait, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of passengers.

The ferry's passengers were all evacuated by the afternoon, but motor vehicles on the boat were still being unloaded.

The ferry was carrying 214 passengers and 76 motor vehicles when its bow became wedged between two reefs near Merak Kecil island at around 1 a.m. on Saturday. -- Antara