About 90 still missing after Indonesia boat capsizes

PanARMENIAN.Net - Ships and aircraft were searching Friday, June 22, for scores of men missing after a steel-hull fishing boat carrying suspected asylum seekers bound for Australia capsized in heavy seas south of Indonesia, the Associated Press reported.

Four Indonesian and Australian warships, four merchant ships and five Australian government aircraft had joined the search in 2-meter (7-foot) swells, Australian Maritime Safety Authority spokeswoman Jo Meehan said. Around 90 people, all male, were missing since Thursday's accident.

About 40 survivors had been found clinging to the upturned hull on Thursday afternoon, while others were discovered clinging to debris up to 6 kilometers (4 miles) from the scene.

A spokesman for Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency, said the capsized boat was reportedly carrying 206 people.