KM Karya Terang ferry, with 66 people on board, sank Friday afternoon, about one hour after leaving Palue island (seven km from the island) in East Nusa Tenggara province toward Maumere district of the province, Head of Search and Rescue office in the province Hermanto da Gomes said.

"Fifteen bodies have been recovered," he told Xinhua by phone from the province.

Unfavorable weather condition was blamed for the accident.

Boats and ships are popular transport means in the archipelago country with over 17,500 islands, but lack of safety standard and extreme weather condition have often caused sea accidents.

Xinhua