Death Toll In Indonesia Ferry Sinking Reaches Nine

Nine people have been confirmed dead and at least 207 rescued after a ferry collided with a cargo ship and sunk, in Suda strait, Indonesia. Over 200 people have been rescued yet others are still feared missing. The rescued victims and bodies that have been recovered have been sent to nearby hospitals. Search and rescue teams were continuing to look for those still unaccounted for. The owner of the cargo ship in a statement said that the operators had immediately offered to help in the search and rescue operation and that a company crisis response team was being sent to the scene. Ferries are the most common means of transport for people wishing to travel around the 17,000 islands of Indonesia. But, safety standards are not strictly enforced and many ferries are overcrowded. A number of ferries as a result sink every year, particularly in less developed parts of the country.