11 Dead after Indonesia Ferry Capsizes

At least 11 people died and one was missing when a ferry capsized off the eastern coast of Indonesia's Sumatra Island, the national search and rescue agency said on Friday.

The ferry was carrying about 74 people to the small island of Tanjung Pinang near neighboring Singapore when it is suspected to have hit a log about 30 minutes after it set sail, officials said.

Rescuers saved 62 people and found the bodies of mostly women and children after the accident off the coast of western Riau province which took place on Thursday afternoon, said Basarnas spokesman Kukuh Widodo.

A search was underway for one person still missing, the rescue agency said, adding that reports were still coming in from witnesses.

The cause of the accident was still being investigated, the official said with an earlier report saying that the vessel had hit a log some 30 minutes into its voyage.