Search Underway for Missing Indonesian Fishing Boat Crew

Rescue teams searched waters in central Indonesia on Wednesday for 24 fishermen missing since their boat sank at the weekend, with hopes kept alive by the discovery a day ago of 11 survivors who had been floating at sea for three days.

The boat with 37 crew went down on Saturday near Selayar Island off South Sulawesi province, according to the search and rescue agency, with 11 survivors in life jackets spotted by fishermen only on Tuesday. Two other crew were found dead.

"We just received the report of the boat sinking from those who survived on Tuesday," local operation division head Andi Sultan told Reuters.
Navy and fishing boats were assisting the search on Wednesday. Local media showed a picture of navy personnel lifting a body of one of the dead crew found the previous day, covered in an orange sheet.

The boat had departed from the capital Jakarta on March 3 headed to waters off Lombok island, about 1,000 km (621 miles) away. Midway through the journey the vessel capsized in high waves and strong winds, Andi said.

Indonesia's rainy season began in January with the meteorological agency forecasting it would reach its peak this month, particularly on the islands of Java and Sumatra.

(Reuters - Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by Martin Petty)