PORT VILA — Vanuatu authorities are searching for survivors after an inter-island ferry carrying 34 passengers and 11 crew sank in rough seas on Friday while sailing between Ambae and Santo, ABC News reported.
Police told national broadcaster VBCTC that MV Matui went down in critical weather. Seven people have been rescued and about 38 remain unaccounted for more than a day after the sinking, with boats and a flying-doctor aircraft continuing the search.
Communities along the Ambae coast were asked to watch for and help possible survivors. Former foreign minister Matai Seremaiah, aboard another vessel, helped rescue survivors. Flying Doctor Mark Turnbull dropped life jackets and helped locate people for rescue boats.
Terry Ngwele, harbour master at Luganville on Santo, told ABC the search would continue. Two additional survivors were spotted from the air late Friday, though darkness complicated retrieval, Seremaiah said.
Sources: ABC News
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