Eight Indonesian fishermen reported missing off West Sumatra

[News_Editor]

Eight Indonesian fishermen reported missing off West Sumatra

2011-12-28 08:04:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

PARIAMAN, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Eight fishermen were reported missing on Tuesday after their fishing boat was hit by a strong storm off the western Indonesian coast of Sumatra, officials said on Wednesday.

A group of sixteen fishermen had left on early Tuesday morning at around dawn to go fishing in the Pariaman waters, off the province of West Sumatra, when their boat was caught up in a strong storm.

Secretary of the Pariaman Natural Disaster Mitigation Body (BPBD), Kardinal, told the Antara news agency that eight of the fishermen were rescued safely, but the others remain missing.

Emergency personnel as well as local residents have continued their search efforts in the the Pariaman waters, as well as as in nearby islets where they were believed to have been stranded. However, high waves and harsh weather have further challenged the search and rescue operations.

Kardinal noted that the provincial administration had previously issued a warning that extreme weather would last until January 31, hoping that fishermen would take extra precaution when going out into the waters.

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