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| Papua New Guinea: Scores missing after ferry sinks | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| More than 100 people are missing after a ferry with up to 350 on board sank off Papua New Guinea's northern coast, officials say. | |
| At least 230 people have been rescued in a joint Australian-PNG operation. | |
| The MV Rabaul Queen sank east of Lae, the South Pacific country's second-largest city, some 10 miles (16km) from shore. | |
| Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said everything would be done to establish the cause of the accident. | Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said everything would be done to establish the cause of the accident. |
| "We will leave no stone unturned," he said. | "We will leave no stone unturned," he said. |
| "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." | "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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| An Australian maritime safety authority spokeswoman said that so far 238 survivors had been rescued. | |
| Capt Nurur Rahman, from the National Maritime Safety Authority, said he was hopeful of finding more people alive in the tropical waters. | Capt Nurur Rahman, from the National Maritime Safety Authority, said he was hopeful of finding more people alive in the tropical waters. |
| "People have survived for up to two days,'' he told the Associated Press news agency. | "People have survived for up to two days,'' he told the Associated Press news agency. |
| He added that the number of people who were on board may be lower than previously reported - at about 300. | He added that the number of people who were on board may be lower than previously reported - at about 300. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | Star Ships is one of Papua New Guinea's biggest ship operators. |