JAKARTA, Jan 11 (Reuters ) - An Indonesian ferry carrying 250 passengers capsized and sank after being battered by a large wave in storms in the country's east on Sunday, officials said, adding bad weather and nightfall made rescue efforts difficult. Rustam Pakaya, head of the health ministry's crisis center, said six deaths had been confirmed in the accident, which occurred early on Sunday morning. Eighteen people including one of the crew had been rescued, said Bambang Ervan, a spokesman for the Transport Ministry. "We still don't know the fate of the missing people, whether they had lifejackets on when the ship was hit, and it happened at dawn so most people were probably asleep," Ervan said.
JAKARTA, Jan 11 (Reuters ) - An Indonesian ferry carrying 250 passengers capsized and sank after being battered by a large wave in storms in the country's east on Sunday, officials said, adding bad weather and nightfall made rescue efforts difficult.
Rustam Pakaya, head of the health ministry's crisis center, said six deaths had been confirmed in the accident, which occurred early on Sunday morning.
Eighteen people including one of the crew had been rescued, said Bambang Ervan, a spokesman for the Transport Ministry.
"We still don't know the fate of the missing people, whether they had lifejackets on when the ship was hit, and it happened at dawn so most people were probably asleep," Ervan said.
An Indonesian ferry carrying 250 passengers and 17 crew capsized and sank today after being battered by high winds and heavy seas whipped up by a tropical cyclone.Seventeen passengers and one of the crew were rescued by a passing fishing boat, but there were growing fears for the others aboard the ship.The fierce sea conditions in the area of eastern Indonesia hampered efforts to search for the missing, many of whom were believed to have leapt into the treacherous waters.
An Indonesian ferry carrying 250 passengers and 17 crew capsized and sank today after being battered by high winds and heavy seas whipped up by a tropical cyclone.
Seventeen passengers and one of the crew were rescued by a passing fishing boat, but there were growing fears for the others aboard the ship.
The fierce sea conditions in the area of eastern Indonesia hampered efforts to search for the missing, many of whom were believed to have leapt into the treacherous waters.
