17 survive after boat capsizes off Indonesia's Mentawai Islands, 1 still missing

JAKARTA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A rescue team in Indonesia's Mentawai Islands said on Tuesday that 17 people have been found alive after a boat capsized in the Sipora Strait, West Sumatra, on Monday.

According to a preliminary report, the speedboat, carrying 18 passengers, including several children, departed from Sikakap Island at around 8 a.m. local time and capsized at around 11 a.m. during its journey to Sipora Island amid severe weather conditions.

Following the accident, 11 people were initially reported missing. As of Tuesday morning, 10 of them had been found safe.

Rudi Ihu, head of the Mentawai Islands Search and Rescue Office, told Xinhua that many of the survivors managed to swim to the shores of nearby islands.

"The currents, waves, and winds helped carry them to the coast," he said.

He noted that based on predictions and survivor accounts, the capsizing was caused by extreme weather, with large waves striking the speedboat.

Rescuers were working to locate the missing person.■