Indonesians drown as ship sinks

Indonesians drown as ship sinks

JAPAN: Four Indonesian sailors died and two were missing off the Japanese coast on Saturday after their boat sank in rough seas, the coast guard said.

The Panamanian-registered Marina Iris sent a distress signal at around 1:40 a.m. off the coast of Mihama Town, about 500 kilometers west of Tokyo.

The Japan Coast Guard found four of the crew and were continuing to search for the other two.

The four, including Endang Supardiana, 38, and Anthonius Pesampang, 26, were pronounced dead. The other dead sailors were identified as Iwan, 58, and Suparman, 44.

The 61-year-old skipper, Danus Gaynau, is still missing along with a 54-year-old deckman, Rudy. The tug boat had been heading to Singapore from the western Japan port of Kobe, where it was bought from a Japanese shipping company. -- AFP