Palembang, S Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Two speed boats carrying dozens of passengers collided in Musi river here on Wednesday, leaving four of them dead while two others had gone missing and several others injured, security personnel said.

Accident of the two ill-fated boats occurred at 10.00 a.m. on the way from Banyuasin towards Palembang, Navy`s Second Corporal Muslimin, one of duty officers at Navy check point quoted eye-witnesses as saying.

The search and rescue (SAR) team continued to find the missing victims, he said.

According to him, 200hp speed boat carrying 24 passengers at a speed of 40 knots, rammed into another 40hp speed boat with 20 knots rapidity that carried two passengers.

"The bigger boat which ran fast hit the small one at its side when the latter was about to change its direction," the witness said.

The small boat sustained serious damaged but its skipper survived, meanwhile one side of the bigger boat was found broken and ran shakily.

In the meantime, the bigger boat`s skipper Sarbini also survived in the accident.

All the dead victims and the injured passengers were rushed to the Palembang port hospital. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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