Ship with over 100 on board in trouble off Indonesian island

A ship carrying more than 100 passengers was adrift in rough seas off the coast of Indonesia's Sulawesi on Saturday, officials said, contradicting earlier media reports that the vessel had sunk. 

 "The ship has not sunk," South Sulawesi police spokesman Frans Barung said by phone, adding that port authorities lost contact with the vessel after its engine broke down. 

 Bambang Soelistyo, chief of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Team Agency, said a team of rescuers was trying to reach the stricken ship.

"The ship had 122 people on board. The team from our headquarters ... all that we have, we are deploying there but we're facing high waves," he said.

News website Detik.com earlier said 108 people were on board the ship which left from Kolaka, on the southeastern side of the island, and was heading across the Gulf of Boni for South Sulawesi when it sank.

Another report that it went down, on Kompas.com, said 122 people were on board.