英语六级阅读 Nearly 250 missing after Indonesian ferry sinks
2009-01-13来源:和谐英语
Map of Borneo and Sulawesi in Indonesia showing the location near the coastal town of Majene where a ferry carrying more than 260 people sank leaving 250 missing.
JAKARTA – Almost 250 people remain missing and are feared dead more than 24 hours after a ferry sank in a heavy storm off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, the transport minister said Monday.
"Up to this morning, 18 people have been rescued alive, passengers and crew. Some 249 are still missing," Jusman Syafii Djamal told AFP. www.hxen.net
"We have intensified the search this morning. Eight patrol boats from provincial search and rescue teams are already in the area and the navy as well as the airforce are also involved in today’s search."
Most Indonesians do not swim and there is little chance many of those still missing would have been able to survive more than 24 hours in rough seas.
The ferry was about 50 kilometres (30 miles) off Majene, western Sulawesi, when authorities lost contact with it around 2:00 am on Sunday morning (1800 GMT Saturday).
The Teratai Prima was carrying about 250 passengers and 17 crew when it sank as it sailed from Pare-Pare in South Sulawesi to Samarinda in East Kalimantan.
The captain and several crew were among the 18 survivors who were rescued by fishermen on Sunday, amid unconfirmed reports the ferry had only three lifeboats.
Sulawesi and Borneo islands have been bashed by storms, heavy rains and high winds for several days amid the tropical wet season.
Ferry transport is crucial in Indonesia, a massive archipelago of some 17,000 islands and 234 million people.
The government has repeatedly vowed to improve safety standards but sinkings are common.
In December 2006 more than 500 people were killed when a ferry sank in a storm off the coast of Java.
JAKARTA – Almost 250 people remain missing and are feared dead more than 24 hours after a ferry sank in a heavy storm off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, the transport minister said Monday.
"Up to this morning, 18 people have been rescued alive, passengers and crew. Some 249 are still missing," Jusman Syafii Djamal told AFP. www.hxen.net
"We have intensified the search this morning. Eight patrol boats from provincial search and rescue teams are already in the area and the navy as well as the airforce are also involved in today’s search."
Most Indonesians do not swim and there is little chance many of those still missing would have been able to survive more than 24 hours in rough seas.
The ferry was about 50 kilometres (30 miles) off Majene, western Sulawesi, when authorities lost contact with it around 2:00 am on Sunday morning (1800 GMT Saturday).
The Teratai Prima was carrying about 250 passengers and 17 crew when it sank as it sailed from Pare-Pare in South Sulawesi to Samarinda in East Kalimantan.
The captain and several crew were among the 18 survivors who were rescued by fishermen on Sunday, amid unconfirmed reports the ferry had only three lifeboats.
Sulawesi and Borneo islands have been bashed by storms, heavy rains and high winds for several days amid the tropical wet season.
Ferry transport is crucial in Indonesia, a massive archipelago of some 17,000 islands and 234 million people.
The government has repeatedly vowed to improve safety standards but sinkings are common.
In December 2006 more than 500 people were killed when a ferry sank in a storm off the coast of Java.
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