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Passenger ferry sinks off Papua New Guinea Passenger ferry sinks off Papua New Guinea
(about 2 hours later)
A ferry carrying an estimated 350 passengers has sunk off the north coast of Papua New Guinea, officials have confirmed. A ferry carrying an estimated 350 passengers has sunk off the north coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG), officials have confirmed.
Reports say that at least 50 people have been rescued, and six merchant boats and three helicopters are at the scene. Captain Nurur Rahman, from the PNG's National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA), told the BBC nearly 200 people had been rescued - most of them from the water.
Efforts are continuing to pick up as many as possible before sunset.
Australia Prime Minister Julia Gillard said her country was sending help.
The MV Rabaul Queen, operated by PNG company Star Ships, was travelling between the towns of Kimbe and Lae.The MV Rabaul Queen, operated by PNG company Star Ships, was travelling between the towns of Kimbe and Lae.
It sent out a distress signal in the early hours of Thursday.It sent out a distress signal in the early hours of Thursday.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which is assisting PNG's National Maritime Safety Authority, has confirmed that the vessel sank approximately 16km (9.9 miles) off Finschhafen. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which is assisting PNG's National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA), has confirmed that the vessel sank approximately 16km (9.9 miles) off Finschhafen.
Eight ships and three helicopters are at the scene helping with the rescue.
In a statement, AMSA said four of the ships on scene were recovering survivors. It said its Dornier aircraft, which has multiple life rafts on board to drop to survivors, was also on the scene.In a statement, AMSA said four of the ships on scene were recovering survivors. It said its Dornier aircraft, which has multiple life rafts on board to drop to survivors, was also on the scene.
Captain Nurur Rahman, of PNG's NMSA, told the BBC that he had reports of people floating in life jackets where the boat sank. Capt Rahman told the BBC he had reports of people floating in life jackets where the boat sank.
"So far I have news that 28 survivors have been picked up on one of the vessels," he said. A Star Ships spokesman told the AFP news agency that "bad weather" was believed to have sunk the ship.
A Star Ships spokesman told Agence France Presse that "bad weather" was believed to have sunk the ship. "[There are] survivors. At the moment rescuers from Australia are at the site. No fatalities have been reported yet," the spokesman said.
"(There are) survivors. At the moment rescuers from Australia are at the site. No fatalities have been reported yet," the spokesman said.
Star Ships is one of PNG's biggest ship operators.Star Ships is one of PNG's biggest ship operators.
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