Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- Strong winds and waves delayed rescuers trying to save dozens of passengers after a ferry sank Sunday off the Indonesian island of Sumatra, officials said.
About 80 people had been rescued from the ferry, which was carrying an estimated 220 passengers when it sank off Riau province in Sumatra, said Muhammad Hisam, captain of the Karimun police water brigade.
But the remaining passengers were left to struggle in rough waters as bad weather forced emergency workers to wait for a bigger rescue boat. Many passengers were seen floating in life jackets, said Bambang Ervan, a spokesman for the ministry of transportation.
The ferry carries passengers between Riau and Batam island. The ministry of transportation had earlier said that an estimated 260 people were aboard.
Bad weather was suspected in the sinking.
In recent years, hundreds of people have died in ferry accidents because the boats that connect Indonesia's islands often are overcrowded and safety regulations are poorly enforced.
