Capsize

The incident took place between the seas of Sori and Ndrehet village, along the north coast of Manus between 3-4pm.

Manus Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said a 23-footer boat with 60 horsepower electric motor was carrying 17 passengers on board.

Also onboard was a 44 gallon fuel drum, a 40 HP engine motor and personal properties.

The boat was returning from Kali Island after a burial and was heading back to Lorengau town.

Three men had initially travelled on a 60 horse-powered 23-footer boat from Wewak to Manus.

They left Wewak last Monday with sixty 10kg bags of betelnut however, their boat capsized, leaving them to drift at sea for three days before two of them were rescued last Friday morning.

Manus provincial police commander, Chief Inspector David Yapu, said one of them was found floating on the boat by fishermen from Lou Island.

The boat operator, on the other hand, managed to swim to Paia Island, between Lou and Baluan Islands, where he was rescued.

Among those unaccounted for is a woman.

Manus acting PPC, senior inspector David Yapu, has advised relevant authorities of the incident as well as boat operators travelling between Madang and Manus to keep an eye out for them.

He said 11 people were on board the boat that left Karkar at 9am last Thursday. The 23-footer boat with two 40 horse powered engines encountered strong wind and rough seas, which resulted in its overturn at around 2pm.