By Emma Joliff
More than 100 people are still reported missing after Papua New Guinea's ferry disaster.
As the search goes on for survivors from the Rabaul Queen, a local journalist told 3 News the ferry was rundown and felt unsafe but passengers had no alternative because flying was too expensive.
One passenger on the boat that sank with 350 passengers and 12 crew onboard off the east coast of Papua New Guinea, Philip Batari, posted a photo of rough seas on Facebook with a message saying "having a rough time at sea onboard Rabaul Queen".
Ten minutes later he posted that he was having the worst moment of his life.
Mr Batari is now believed to be among the missing.
Papua New Guinea journalist Gorethy Kenneth told 3 News the ferry travelled weekly from Bougainville to Lae and says it was run down and that she felt unsafe using it.
“It’s old and it’s rotting inside. I was scared, I felt so angry with myself for getting on that boat,” says Ms Kenneth, who also says most of the people on board were students; teenagers and young adults.
Ms Kenneth says windy conditions and high seas continue to hamper rescue efforts.
“This is obviously a major tragedy, 350 people aboard a ship that has gone down. We’ve been asked to provide assistance to Papua New Guinea and we are providing assistance,” says Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
This morning 116 people were being treated at a hospital in Lae and the Papua New Guinea government has launched an immediate investigation into the disaster.
“We’ll leave no stone unturned, we need to bring some safety back into this industry, we cannot afford to continue to lose our people’s lives,” says Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not believe any New Zealanders were on board.
3 News