Storm kills one, injures six

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: A man died and six others were injured on Saturday when a storm wrecked their boat on the waters off Waigeo Island, some 900 kilometers west of here.

All the victims are employees of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency, who were on an assignment to measure a plot of land belonging to a plantation company in Waigeo.

The casualty was identified as Sandy, a native of Biltar in East Java. His body was flown to Blitar for burial.

The head of the Ministry of Forestry and Plantation office here, Sudjud, told Antara strong waves tore the boat to pieces as the team was about to reach Waigeo.

He quoted the surviving employees as saying that Sandy grabbed two plastic jerrycans before he drowned.

All Sandy's six colleagues used a piece of tarpaulin to survive, according to Sudjud. They were helped by local fishermen. (amd)