JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- A fire sparked by an explosion caused a small ferry to sink Monday off the coast of Indonesia, killing eight people and leaving 19 others missing.
Passengers said a motorcycle in the hold of the ferry Mitra Indah was placed too close to the engine, setting off the explosion that caused the fire.
The ferry carried about 80 people when it sank off northern Sumatra province, said Sgt. Turisno, a maritime police officer who, like many in Indonesia, uses only one name.
The vessel's captain was able to send a mayday signal before the boat went down, and several fishing boats in the area managed to rescue passengers, Turisno said.
Eight people, one of them a seven-year-old girl, were killed in the accident. Rescuers searched for the 19 missing passengers.
Survivors told officers that heat from the Mitra Indah's engine had caused a passengers motorcycle in the hold to explode, said police Sgt. Napitubulo, who also uses one name.
Shipping accidents are common in Indonesia, a vast archipelago where much traveling is done by boat. Safety regulations are often poorly enforced, boats are sometimes overcrowded and ship owners often claim they are unable to afford maintenance and repairs.
