14 Feb 2012

New PNG ferry disaster tally lists 183 people as missing

6:20 pm on 14 February 2012

A new estimate of the number of people who lost their lives in Papua New Guinea's shipping disaster puts it at 183.

The Post Courier newspaper says the tally was given by the Star Shipping company which operated the Rabaul Queen that sank off Morobe nearly two weeks ago.

It says among those missing are 49 people from East New Britain, 41 from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, 33 from West New Britain and 20 from Morobe.

The survivor registration log also reveals only 200 passengers rescued to safety.

Last Friday, the Morobe Provincial Disaster Management Office said the number of people rescued had been recalculated as 237.

It also said information from relatives of those onboard put the number of people missing at 321.