Indonesia: Shipowner must pay for damage

JAKARTA - Indonesia says nearly 19,000 square meters of coral reef was damaged by a foreign cruise ship that ran aground in the pristine waters of Raja Ampat in West Papua Province earlier this month.

The extent of the damage, announced by the deputy maritime affairs minister this week following a survey of the affected strait, was far worse than initially thought.

Indonesia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday said the government will be "very firm" in demanding compensation.