Niniek Karmini, Jakarta – A ferry carrying hundreds of passengers sank in a storm off Indonesia's main island of Java and nearly all were still missing 12 hours later, officials said Saturday.
The "Senopati" went down around midnight Friday en route to Sumarang on central Java from the port of Kumai on Borneo island.
Slamet Bustam, an official at the Semarang port, said waves of up to 15 feet had crashed over the ship's deck around midnight Friday. It was carrying 850 people, he said. The passenger manifest listed 542 people, Transport Minister Hatta Radjasa said.
Ships in Indonesia often carry far more passengers than reported, making it hard for authorities to say with accuracy how many people are on board. Local media put the number of passengers at between 200 and 600.
"The rescuers have been unable to reach the location and we are afraid many have died," Bustam told The Associated Press.
More than 12 hours after the accident, rescue workers in ships and helicopters had found only nine survivors, stranded on a nearby island, he said. Navy Commander Col. Yan Simamora also said there were only nine survivors.
"So far, the rescue team, using helicopters and ships has been searching for other passengers, but limited visibility and bad weather is hampering the rescue," he told Indonesia's El-shinta radio. "Because of the high waves and wind, I'm afraid many have died."
Two warships were searching the area, hindered by poor visibility.
The boat ran into trouble 24 miles off Mandalika island, which is about 190 miles northeast of the capital, Jakarta.
Earlier Friday, a different vessel carrying around 100 people capsized in bad weather off the coast of northwestern Sumatra, killing 31 people, Radjasa said Saturday
Sea accidents are common in Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago nation, where boats are the main way to reach many islands. Safety measures are often poorly enforced and many craft lack sufficient safety equipment.
Hard rains triggered flooding and mudslides earlier this week that so far have killed 146 people in Indonesia and another 12 in neighboring Malaysia. Some 500,000 people have been displaced.
At least 163 other people remain missing in the flooding. Officials fear more deaths will stem from Saturday's storm.