Ship sinks off Indonesia's Borneo, 18 dead

JAKARTA, Indonesia – An official says an overcrowded ship has sunk in strong winds off Indonesia's Borneo Island, leaving 18 people dead and 18 others missing.

A Port Authority official on Pulau Laut island, Hariyono, says the ship sank Monday about an hour after leaving port for Geronggang, also on Borneo.

Hariyono, who uses one name, says the ship was carrying four crew and 101 passengers. Officials are searching for the missing passengers and investigating the cause of the accident.

Ships are a main source of transportation in Indonesia, an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands. Overcrowding and poor safety standards cause many fatal accidents.