Indonesian Ferry Sinks

Indonesian Ferry Sinks

Rescuers saved more than 240 people aboard an Indonesian passenger ferry, the Dumai Express 10, that sank Sunday in rough waters off Sumatra Island, but at least 25 people have died, officials said. The ship had a capacity of 273 but it was unclear how many were aboard.

The ferry sank in stormy weather 90 minutes into the trip in western Indonesia about 900 kilometers northwest of Jakarta. Huge waves hit its bow and water started seeping in, according to a report from the ship's captain. In a separate accident Sunday, the Dumai Express 15 with 278 people on board ran aground but no one was hurt.

The vast country spans more than 17,000 islands, and boats are a popular and relatively cheap form of transportation. In January, some 230 people went missing after their ferry capsized in a cyclone off the coast of western Sulawesi. In December 2006, a crowded ferry broke apart and sank in the Java Sea during a violent storm, killing more than 400 people.