KUPANG

At least 11 people were killed and more than 30 are missing after a passenger boat went down in waters off Flores on Monday, the Search and Rescue Agency said.

“We have found 11 dead bodies and still look for about 32 people that went missing,” spokesman Gagah Prakoso said.

The boat set sail carrying about 60 passengers at 07.30am and capsized two hours later off Flores island, in East Nusa Tenggara province, he said.

Local police chief Abdul Rahma Aba said that the inter-island vessel was struck by high waves which caused panic among passengers before it capsized about two miles from shore.

Prakoso said that 17 passengers were found alive and searchers including local fishermen continued to hunt for survivors.