Update: Scores Still Missing After Indonesian Ferry Sinks

JAKARTA, Dec 19 (Reuters) – High winds prevented rescuers from reaching a ship with greater than 100 passengers that was adrift in tough seas off the coast of Indonesia’s Sulawesi island on Saturday, officers stated.

Earlier, native media stated the vessel had sunk. Police and rescue authorities denied these reviews and stated it was nonetheless afloat, however with a damaged engine and out of radio contact.

“The ship has not sunk,” a South Sulawesi police spokesman stated by telephone.

Roki Asikin, head of the native Search and Rescue Agency, stated his crew of rescuers couldn’t attain the vessel due to the dangerous climate however at dawn on Sunday bigger ships and air drive helicopters and plane would be part of the search.

News web site Detik.com earlier stated 108 individuals had been on board the ship which left from Kolaka, on the southeastern aspect of the island, and was heading throughout the Gulf of Boni for South Sulawesi when it sank.

Another report that it went down, on Kompas.com, stated 122 individuals had been on board. (Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Gayatri Suroyo; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Digby Lidstone)

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