21 missing in Indonesia's Kalimantan boat mishap

JAKARTA - An Indonesian police overseeing Kutai Barat district, East Kalimantan province, said on Friday that at least 21 passengers of a ferry that sunk in the Mahakam River on Thursday in the province were missing and feared death, local media reported. ?

The KM Surya Indah, which had 98 people on board based on the latest information, capsized in the Kutai Barat district area late on Thursday evening. So far, one body has been recovered and 76 survivors rescued, district police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Suparno said.

The whereabouts of another 21 people who had been on board the unfortunate ship remained unknown the day after the accident and they are believed to have all drowned, Suparno said quoted by the Antara news agency.

Rescue teams composed of police, soldiers and local residents are combing the river to find survivors or bodies, he said, adding that the skipper and other crew members of the ship were among the survivors.

KM Surya Indah regularly plies the route between Samarinda and towns in the district of Kutai Barat along the Mahakam River. It was reported to have sunk at 11 pm local time on Thursday.

Sukaryah, the head of the Mahakam Ulu terminal in Samarinda, said that the ship had been bound for Melak carrying a registered 40 passengers, 11 motorcycles and 10 tons of rice. Boats usually take on more passengers along the way. The ferry had capacity to transport 96 passengers and 40 tons of cargo.