SHIP SINKS IN MAKASSAR STRAIT

Samarinda, Jul 31 (ANTARA) -- Cahaya Abadi Utama, with corn and banana in its holds, sailing from Mamuju, West Sulawesi, to Samarinda, East Kalimantan, went down in the Makassar strait.

Reports from Samarinda on Thursday (Jul 30) said that five crew members of the ill-fated ship had been rescued by Teratai Prima II, which happened to pass the strait heading to Samarinda.

The five crewmen Sarman (25), Sahar (23), Abdul Sukur (52), Sabran (27 ) and Mansur (28) had been evacuated and brought along with Teratai Prima II to Samarinda Thuhrsday.

"We picked them up at about 8 a.m off the Makassar strait coast several miles from Ambo Island," Mohamammad Amin Katam, Second Mate of Teratai Prima II, said in Samarinda Thursday.

He said "when we found the five crewmen of Cahaya Abadi Utama there were floating and still clinging to a small overturned wooden boat.

Later when brought on board Teratai Prima II, the poor and weakened seamen told their rescuers they had not eaten or drunk anything for three days, Amin said.