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Papua New Guinea: Many rescued after ferry sinks Papua New Guinea: Many rescued after ferry sinks
(about 2 hours later)
More than 200 people have been rescued from the sea off Papua New Guinea (PNG)'s north coast after a ferry sank with up to 350 on board, officials say. More than 230 people have been rescued from the sea off Papua New Guinea's northern coast after a ferry sank with up to 350 on board, officials say.
Captain Nurur Rahman, from PNG's National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA), told the BBC most people had been rescued from the water. A search operation is under way. Rescuers say they are hopeful of finding more survivors .
Efforts were continuing to pick up as many as possible before sunset, he said. The ferry sank east of Lae, the South Pacific country's second-largest city, some 10 miles (16km) from shore.
Australia PM Julia Gillard earlier said the incident was a "major tragedy". Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said everything would be done to establish the cause of the accident.
Ms Gillard said the authorities were urgently trying to find out if any Australians were on board. "We will leave no stone unturned," he said.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said the cause had yet to be confirmed, and he sent his sympathies to the families of those involved. "We cannot afford to continue to lose our people's lives. Sea transport is one of the most important forms of transportation in the country."
The MV Rabaul Queen, operated by PNG company Star Ships, was travelling between the towns of Kimbe and Lae. Australia PM Julia Gillard earlier said the incident was a "major tragedy" and that the authorities were urgently trying to find out if any Australians were on board.
It sent out a distress signal in the early hours of Thursday. An Australian maritime safety authority spokeswoman said that so far 238 survivors had been recovered.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is assisting the PNG authorities, has confirmed that the vessel sank approximately 16km (9.9 miles) off Finschhafen. Capt Nurur Rahman, from the National Maritime Safety Authority, said he was hopeful of finding more people alive in the tropical waters.
Eight ships and three helicopters are at the scene helping with the rescue. Three Australian fixed-wing aircraft have also been sent, says the BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Sydney. "People have survived for up to two days,'' he told the Associated Press news agency.
Earlier, Capt Rahman told the BBC he had reports of people floating in life jackets where the boat sank. He added that the number of people who were on board may be lower than previously reported - at about 300.
A Star Ships spokesman told the AFP news agency that "bad weather" was believed to have sunk the ship. The MV Rabaul Queen, operated by PNG company Star Ships, was travelling between the towns of Kimbe and Lae when it sent out a distress signal in early on Thursday.
"[There are] survivors. At the moment rescuers from Australia are at the site. No fatalities have been reported yet," the spokesman said. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is assisting the country's authorities, has confirmed that the vessel sank approximately 16km (9.9 miles) off Finschhafen.
Star Ships is one of PNG's biggest ship operators. Eight ships and three helicopters assisted in the rescue efforts and three Australian fixed-wing aircraft were also sent, says the BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Sydney.
A Star Ships spokesman told AFP news agency that "bad weather" was believed to have sunk the ship.
Star Ships is one of Papua New Guinea's biggest ship operators.
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