24 dead, 31 missing after storm hits fishing ships in central Indonesia

The incident took place in Sambas district when two tug boats and fishing ships had already taken position near the coast, Yopi Haryadi, head of the provincial search and rescue office said. 

Jakarta: Rescuers have found 24 bodies and kept searching for 31 other missing persons after 18 ships were hit by a storm in waters off West Kalimantan province in central Indonesia days ago, the top rescuer of the province said on Wednesday. The incident took place in Sambas district when two tug boats and fishing ships had already taken position near the coast, and some others were on their way to the territory in response to the warning from the weather agency of the possibility of extreme weather conditions, said Yopi Haryadi, head of the provincial search and rescue office. "The death toll rises to 24 with 31 still our target in the search and rescue operation," he told Xinhua via phone. Haryadi said that a storm hit the area two days a week ago.