Officials said that Indonesian rescuers were searching for a cargo vessel with 12 people aboard, which has been missing off the coast of Papua since last week.

The cargo ship is carrying the equipment needed to build towers for telecommunications and other infrastructures for the Communications Ministry.

Fadhilah Matar, an official in the communications ministry, reported that it set sail from Timika on Monday of last week to Yahukimo, where communications infrastructure was to be installed. However, two days later it went missing.

I Wayan Suyatna, the local rescue team's head, stated that the search and rescue agency started searching for the ship Saturday using 150 personnel, two navy vessels.

The agency stated that it is not clear what caused the ship's loss of contact. (Reporting and editing by Anandateresia, Stanley Widianto)