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8 Killed after Boat Capsizes in Indonesia

8 Killed after Boat Capsizes in Indonesia

Monday, 1 January, 2018 - 11:30
Eight people were killed when their boat sank off Indonesia’s Kalimantan island. (Reuters)

Eight people were killed on Monday after their speedboat capsized off Indonesia’s Kalimantan island, rescue officials said.


The boat was on its way from Tanjung Selor to Tarakan on the Indonesian side of Borneo island, when it overturned and sank.


According to the boat's manifest, the boat was carrying 48 passengers, including five children, and three crew members, rescue official Manangap Djumala said, adding that infants were usually not listed in the manifest.


The national rescue agency said in a statement that 13 passengers remained missing while the rest had been rescued.


It was not immediately clear what caused the accident and police have opened an investigation into it.


Boat accidents are common in Indonesia because of poorly enforced safety regulations in the world's largest archipelago nation, where ships are a popular and relatively cheap form of transportation.


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