Three killed in boat accident

PALANGKA RAYA, C. Kalimantan: A speedboat carrying 13 people including its skipper sank in the Kahayan river, 45 kilometers northeast of here, Thursday, killing three people on board.

The search and rescue team has found three bodies identified as Ester (35) Nely (32) and Indu Yosep (36), Antara quoted the local transportation office's deputy head, H.M. Pharhusif, as saying yesterday.

Two passengers, Gagu (32) and Tonel (6), were seriously injured, while eight people including the skipper, Korin (33), sustained minor injuries. They were all taken to the Dr. Doris Sylvanus hospital here.

The accident happened after the lowest part of the boat, Kahayan Permai, hit a log on the riverbed and collided with another boat on the river.

With the current dry season in Indonesia, most rivers have become shallow.

The speedboat was on its way from Plamboyan pier in Palangka Raya to Sepang Simin district in Kapuas regency when the accident happened.

Last week, at least 15 people died in Kapuas Murung River in Central Kalimantan after their boat hit a bridge post and sank.