Indonesian authorities on July 22 announced that rescue teams are searching for a cargo ship and its 12 crew members, who have been missing since last week in the waters off Papua, in the easternmost region of the country.
According to Fadhilah Mathar, an official at the Ministry of Communication and Information, the missing vessel was carrying equipment for the construction of telecommunications towers and other infrastructure for the ministry.
Indonesia searches for missing vessel (Photo: asiaone.com)
The ship departed from Timika on July 15, heading to the highland region of Yahukimo to serve the development of communication infrastructure there but went missing two days later.
I Wayan Suyatna, head of the local rescue team, stated that authorities began searching for the vessel on July 20. The search operation involves 150 personnel and two navy ships. The cause of the vessel's disappearance remains unknown./.