The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Jakarta

At least 29 people were killed and 125 rescued after an Indonesian ship sank in high seas off the island of Sulawesi, officials said Friday.

Residents near the town of Bau Bau on southeast Sulawesi heard survivors pleading for help after the ship sank at about 9:00 PM (1400 GMT) Thursday, just 500 metres from shore, ElShinta radio reported.

ElShinta's reporter said 151 people were believed to be on board. Indonesian ferries however are notorious for carrying far more passengers than the number officially registered on their manifestos.

"Twenty-nine people have died. The bodies were received from midnight last night until 8:00 AM Thursday. Nineteen survivors are being treated for shock," Bau Bau general hospital spokesman, Laode Hamdansyah, told AFP.

Search and rescue team chief Roki Asikin told ElShinta that 125 people had been rescued, "but we do not know how many people were aboard the ship, so we don't know how many people are still missing."