Ferry have sunk off Papua New Guinea Thursday, 02 February 2012 08:18

PORT MORESBY: A ferry is believed to have sunk off the coast of Papua New Guinea with more than 300 people aboard.

According to media reports in Australia the shipping company Star Ships lost contact with the MV Rabaul Queen early Thursday morning while it was travelling between Kimbe and Lae in the Pacific country's east.

A spokesman for Star Ships said he believed it had sunk in bad weather.

"(There are) survivors. At the moment rescuers from Australia are at the site. No fatalities have been reported yet," he said.

An Australian search and rescue plane was sent to fly above the scene.

A spokeswoman for Australia's foreign office said: "The shipping company advises that they do not believe that there were any foreigners on board, but our High Commission is seeking to confirm this, including whether any dual nationals may have been affected.

"The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is managing the response to this incident. Local rescue efforts are currently under way."  (QNA)