JAKARTA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and seven others went missing as a ship went down in waters off East Nusa Tenggara province in the central part of Indonesia on Sunday, a top rescuer said.

The ship named KM Kasih 25, carrying 28 people, sank in Fakuafu Strait after departing from a sea port in the province's capital of Kupang, Head of the Provincial Search and Rescue Office Emy Freezer told Xinhua by phone, citing that the ship was heading to Rote Ndao district of the province.

"We suspect huge waves to be the cause of the sea accident. But the National Transport Safety Committee will carry out an investigation," he said.

A search and rescue operation has been undertaken and three vessels as well as scores of personnel from the local search and rescue office have staged the mission, said Freezer.

As the night fell, the mission was already halted and would resume on Monday morning, he cited.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has warned of extreme weather in the waters off the province within the next three days, barring ships of medium and small sizes from sailing, according to Freezer.

"Indeed, the wind has been blowing strongly here along with tidal waves with the height of up to four meters," he said.

Lack of safety standards has often triggered sea accidents in the vast archipelagic nation of Indonesia. Enditem

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