Pacific

Search ongoing in Papua after fatal boat accident

09:14 am on 28 January 2015

A search and rescue team is continuing its search for two missing men after a fatal boat accident in Indonesia's remote Papua province.

Fishing boats on Biak, West Papua Photo: Supplied

Two people were found dead over the weekend after a boat capsized in the Migiwiya River, in the West Mimika district of Timika regency.

The head of the search and rescue team, Joko Sungkowo, told the Jakarta Post the boat's captain, Ambrosius Warta, survived.

He says the team is still searching for two people named Yuni and Santi.

He says the passengers are elementary school teachers who were traveling from Kokonao hamlet to Timika city.

Mr Sungkowo says they were warned by locals not to go due to bad weather, but the captain did not heed the warning.