At least 30 feared dead in Indonesian ferry disaster

JAKARTA, Wednesday (AFP) Rescuers searched Wednesday for survivors after a ferry carrying scores of passengers capsized in heavy seas in eastern Indonesia, leaving at least 30 feared dead, a rescue official said.

The body of one person was recovered and 71 people were rescued after the vessel sank Tuesday evening while travelling between Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province, and the nearby island of Rote, the official said.

"The boat's manifest shows that it was carrying 82 passengers and a crew of 20," the official from the province's Search and Rescue Agency, who identified himself as Eri, told AFP.

He said that the boat had hit rough seas while heading for Rote and tried to turn back to Kupang but its engine had died. High waves then capsized it.

Three navy boats and a ship from the state-run ferry company were combing the area looking for survivors, Eri added.

An official from Kupang's port administration said that the boat had been properly equipped for the journey which normally takes about five hours.