UPDATES THROUGHOUT
By Ainur Rohmah
TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) - At least 23 people have been confirmed dead after a fire broke out on a large boat carrying tourists to islands north of the Indonesian capital, while 17 others remain missing and more than 200 have been rescued.
A National Disaster Management Agency spokesman said Sunday afternoon that three of the fatalities had earlier been taken to a nearby hospital, while “20 dead victims were found inside the Zahro Express ship after the boat was transported to the Muara Angke port" in Jakarta.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement that there were around 210 survivors -- 17 of who sustained injuries -- but 17 people remained missing.
He had earlier told Anadolu Agency that the tourist ship departed from Jakarta in the morning en route to Tidung Island in Thousand Islands Regency.
The head of North Jakarta's fire department, Satriadi Gunawan, said his officers received a report on the incident at 08.46 a.m. (0146GMT) and immediately dispatched teams to the site.
"We have deployed five fire boats to extinguish the fire," he was quoted by detik.com as saying.
Gunawan refused to comment on the possible cause of the fire.
The flames engulfing the ship were reportedly later extinguished and the vessel brought to the Muara Angke port in Jakarta.
Three crew members were taken to a local police station for questioning.