Over 100 passengers missing in ferry sinking disaster
A plane from Australia, three helicopters and eight ships looking for other survivors from the MV Rabaul Queen.
The ferry sank while travelling from Kimbe on the island of New Britain to the coastal city of Lae on the main island, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.
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Hide AdAustralian Prime Minister Julia Gillard described it as a “major tragedy”.
Police in Kimbe said that most of the passengers were students and trainee teachers.
An official at the scene said the ferry capsized in rough seas and sank four hours later, local media said.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the cause of the accident was unknown, but acknowledged that safety in the shipping industry was lax. “We need to bring some safety measures back into this industry,” O’Neill
told reporters. He said more than 300 people were aboard the ship, although the precise
number had not been confirmed.
An Australian search and rescue airplane based in the northern city of
Cairns reached the scene by afternoon and two other Australian airplanes
were on their way. Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman Carly Lusk said the
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water. She said 238 survivors had been recovered by late in the day.
She said 350 people were believed to be on board the ferry, but Papua
New Guinea’s National Maritime Safety Authority said the figure was
likely lower.