8 Indonesian fishermen feared dead, 11 rescued off Australia

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Eight Indonesian fishermen are feared drowned and another 11 have been rescued after spending almost a week without food or water on an island off the Australian coast in the wake of a tropical cyclone. Two fishing boats were caught in the path of Cyclone Ilsa last week. Authorities say one boat sank during the storm and another ran aground on an island. The only known survivor of the sunken boat spent 30 hours in the water before washing ashore on the same island. The survivors were spotted by an Australian surveillance plane crew and were rescued Monday. The men were taken to an Australian hospital and given medical care. They’re expected to be flown back to Indonesia soon.