Ship carrying 850 sinks

A ship carrying about 850 passengers sank in a storm off the coast of Central Java province, and most of them may be dead, a navy commander told Indonesian radio today.

Col. Yan Simamora said the Senopati went down about midnight Friday while traveling from Sumarang on the island of Java to Kumai in Central Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo.

He told El Shinta radio that rescuers had found nine survivors.

“So far the rescue team, using helicopters and ships, has been searching for other passengers, but limited visibility and bad weather are hampering the rescue,” he said. “Because of the high waves and wind, I’m afraid many have died.”