World IN BRIEF : THAILAND : 129 Feared Drowned as Ferry Hits Tanker

At least 129 people were feared drowned when a Thai ferry collided with an oil tanker and sank in coastal waters southeast of Bangkok. Eighty-nine ferry passengers were confirmed dead, and at least 40 more were missing, officials said. At least 21 were rescued. Survivors were taken to hospitals in the town of Si Racha, and the bodies of victims were placed in a Buddhist temple. The accident occurred in a busy channel used by tankers and cargo vessels off Si Racha. A relief official said the ferry was taking mostly local Chinese back to the mainland after a weekend trip to Si Chang island, about 15 miles off the coast. They had reportedly been visiting a well-known animist shrine. The official said the ferry sank about half a mile offshore after colliding with the Thai oil tanker.