Disaster as PNG ferry sinks with more than 350 on board

ROUGH seas are slowing rescue efforts for as many as 100 people missing after the ferry MV Rabaul Queen sank off the east coast of Papua New Guinea.

Authorities have confirmed that 238 survivors have been pulled from rough seas between PNG's second largest city, Lae, and New Britain after their ferry sank early yesterday morning.

Bad light and poor weather conditions hampered rescue efforts last night.

The search will continue at first light today.

"It is hampering efforts," said the rescue coordinator and acting CEO of PNG's National Maritime Safety Authority, Captain Nurur Rahman.

"We cannot transport people from the four (rescue ships) to smaller ships and then to Lae."

He said he was waiting on confirmation that another 13 people had been found alive, and said there were few signs of injuries among survivors.
However, he was hopeful of finding more survivors in the coming days.

"I'm always hopeful," he said.

"People have survived up to two days in these waters. We have warm waters."

However, one survivor was exhibiting signs of hypothermia and another had a dislocated shoulder.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said it was helping to coordinate the rescue, with 238 people saved by early evening and eight merchant ships on the scene.

"As at 6.30pm [local time, yesterday], our last confirmed report was for 238 survivors," an AMSA spokeswoman said. "Initial reports say [there were] 350 [on board], however three passengers who have been rescued from the water have said the number could be higher than that."

Morobe Province’s Deputy Provincial Administrator Patilias Gamato said unconfirmed reports, from a National Maritime Safety Authority officer on an International Bulk carrier, stated that 230 people were rescued from 10 life rafts dispatched from stricken ship into the seas.

According to a Rabaul Shipping employee, a life raft on the stricken ship can cater for 25 adult passengers.

Some of the rescued passengers were injured when the ship suddenly tilted and were being treated on the bulk carrier that they are on. The extent of the injuries of the rescued passengers was not known but Mr Gamato instructed Angau Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Polapoi Chalau to get the hospital prepared for the injured.

He also asked Lae District Administrator Robin Calistus to get nursing officers from the district to help out.

Mr Gamato said it was very difficult to confirm how many people were exactly on board the ship because Rabaul Shipping has not provided the passenger and cargo manifest to the authorities.

Relatives in Lae, last night were asked by the Morobe Disaster and Emergency Services to give names of their relatives that were on the ill-fated vessel.

Many of the passengers were mainly students and children returning to their families in Lae or for studies in institutions either in Lae, Madang and the Highlands region.

The passengers were from Bougainville, Manus, New Ireland East New Britain provinces who arrived in Kimbe to catch a connecting vessel to Lae, which happened to be Rabaul Queen, along with passengers from West New Britain province.

A son of Lae based National and Supreme Court Judge Justice Elenas Batari was also on the sunken ship and Mr Batari was one of the first persons to front up at the Morobe Disaster Office for information.

Children of some senior Morobe Public Servants were also on the ship and it is not known if they are amongst the 230 that were rescued.

Parents and relatives were still hanging around the Morobe Disaster Office, wanting to know the exact fate of their loved ones, many wouldn’t budge or go home until they know the truth.

A Morobe Disaster officer Leo Kautu alerted authorities to the disaster after getting a telephone call from a friend.

Mr Gamato said search and rescue efforts were continued by the International ships until the last light at 7pm last night and was called off and will be resumed at first light today.

He said three International bulk carriers and two international tankers rescued those in the life rafts, with the help of a Royal Australian Air Force plane, two helicopters hired by Morobe Disaster and Rabaul Shipping.

He said the sunken vessel was sighted just off the coast at Gingala village in Finschhafen, late yesterday afternoon.

“It was very fortunate that the current was moving towards Finschhafen and we are alerting all coastal villages from Finschhafen right down to Madang province to be on the lookout for survivors or dead bodies,” he said.

The first helicopter that arrived at the last location of the ship, did not see the ship, only debris and oil slicks.

The ship catastrophe has been described by many as the worst-ever shipping disaster faced by the country.

Passengers on board the shipping vessel tried frantically to fill up the available rescue and emergency boats on board the vessel, and make it to nearby land but were overloaded and had to return to the vessel.

The boat carrying a total of 360 or more passengers was on its way from the Kimbe Wharf in West New Britain Province en route from Rabaul and into Lae.

A distress call from the ship was picked up by the Australian Navy Ship who quickly attended to the accident scene.

Provincial Disaster Coordinator Mr Charles Masangke confirmed the accident this morning.
Upon learning of the accident, the disaster offices tried to establish information with the Rabaul Shipping office but were refused entry by the officers.

When the disaster officers warned them of the repercussions that could arise if there were any casualties, they confirmed the accident.

General Manager and Owner of Rabaul Shipping Mr Peter Sharp said his office had not received any confirmation of the accident and thus could not comment.

An officer from the shipping company’s head office in Rabaul said they were still awaiting confirmation and was unable to provide the manifest or any other particulars in relation to the vessel or passengers.

Mr Masangke also reported that an Australian Navy ship which was patrolling in waters close by also picked up the distress call.

They arrived at the tragedy site by 9.30am and rescued most of the survivors.

The Provincial Disaster Office Coordinator said the vessel, whilst making its way into Lae through strong winds and rough seas, capsized around 5am in the morning.

The boat was upturned for four hours which, during that time passengers were rescued by an Australian Navy ship.

The boat has totally submerged into the Siassi Waters and is no longer visible.
Two helicopters from the Manolos Aviation Company and another from another company were chartered by the Provincial Disaster Office and the Rabaul Shipping Company to fly to the accident site.

PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said he had received a phone call from Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish, who pledged Australia's support.

Australia sent several aircraft to the area where the ferry went down.

"Our sympathies go out to the families," Mr O'Neill said.

"We need to bring some safety measures back into this industry."

The ship went down in what's understood to be extremely bad weather.

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said Australia stood ready to help in any way it could.
"I spoke to my counterpart, PNG Foreign Minister Ano Pala, earlier today to inform him that Australia stands ready to offer all necessary assistance," Mr Rudd said.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) arranged for ships in the area to conduct rescues and for aircraft to fly over the area.

The aircraft will assist with dropping rescue equipment, including life rafts.

The Australian High Commission in Port Moresby is still trying to confirm whether any Australians were on the vessel.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the shipping company had advised them there were unlikely to be any foreigners on board.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard earlier said there was likely to be a very high loss of life from the tragedy.

"This is obviously a major tragedy," she said.

"We have been asked to provide assistance to PNG and we are providing assistance to PNG."
The Opposition said it supported the Government's decision to help in the search for survivors.
"It is vital that every effort is made to locate and rescue any of the people in the water," Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Julia Bishop said.

"The Coalition extends its sympathies to the families of those on board the MV Rabaul Queen and extends its support to the efforts of PNG and Australian rescuers."

- with AAP's Eoin Blackwell and Adam Gartrell in Port Moresby and NewsCore

 http://www.news.com.au/

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