All but one person on an Indonesian ferry that sank in eastern Indonesian waters are safe, a rescue official said today.
The offical said there were just 66 people on the ferry - 60 passengers and six crew - and not around 100 as officials had feared earlier. "Just one passenger has yet to be found," he said.
An Indonesian navy ship and airplane had searched for the boat, which ran into problems late on Monday near Rote Island, 1,900 kilometres east of the capital Jakarta.
It is often difficult to determine how many passengers are aboard Indonesian ferries, since they often carry individuals who have not paid for tickets or are not listed.
A ferry sank in heavy seas in the same area less than three months ago, killing at least 10 people.
Ferries are a popular means of transport between the more than 17,000 islands of Indonesia, where sea connections are cheaper and more available than air routes.
But safety standards are not strictly enforced and many ferries are overcrowded.