CNN and other sources are reporting that rescuers have recovered more than 200 survivors after a passenger ship sunk off the east coast of Papua New Guinea.
According to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, authorities have been helping Papua New Guinea with rescue efforts after the ship, the MV Rabaul Queen, sunk about 10 miles off Cape Fortification in the Vitiaz Strait early Thursday. There were reportedly about 350 people aboard the boat when it sunk.
After an alert was sent out, boats and helicopters rushed to the scene to try to save scores of people left adrift at sea by the sinking.
Jo Meehan of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority told the site that rescuers have so far recovered 238 people.
Australia is Papua New Guinea's closest neighbor except for Indonesia, with which it shares a border.
