27 Aug 2011

Seven die when Indonesian ferry sinks

7:15 pm on 27 August 2011

Seven people died when a ferry sank in bad weather off Indonesia's Sulawesi island on Saturday.

Search and rescue teams have pulled at least 95 people from the water and five remain missing.

The transport ministry says however the total number of passengers on board has not yet been confirmed.

The Windu Karsa was sailing from Bajoe to Kolaka in southeast Sulawesi when it ran into bad weather. The accident occurred as Muslim people rushed to family gatherings to mark the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.

Indonesia relies heavily on ferry services to connect many islands in the sprawling archipelago. But accidents are common, largely because of years of under-investment in infrastructure and a tendency to overload boats.