More than 500 people were still missing in stormy seas off Indonesia's Java island on Saturday, almost a day after a ferry from Borneo capsized, officials said, according to Reuters. The sinking was the second Indonesian ferry disaster in as many days after a vessel overturned on Thursday in rough seas off Sumatra. High seas and bad weather hampered rescue efforts after the latest disaster, officials said on Saturday. Rescuers found two bodies and 74 people alive, said Riyadi, head of search and rescue operations in Semarang, Central Java. The ferry Senopati Nusantara carried 605 people, including 63 crew, according to the manifest, a navy spokesman said. Seventeen survivors were taken to Tuban in East Java province, an officer at the district police station, Muhaimin, told Reuters. Transportation Minister Hatta Rajasa said the ship was on fire before it sank at about midnight on Friday. "The huge waves and storm caused the ship to burn," he told the BBC Indonesian service. "We have received information that dozens of passengers had used life rafts, in addition to those (already) rescued. We are trying to rescue them," he said. He said the Japanese-made 2,178-tonne ship was seaworthy and had a capacity of more than 850 passengers. "We will continue the search operation, normally until seven days, but it can be extended until we are sure that we have made our utmost efforts."
