Jakarta - At least 11 people - including an infant - were killed, 22 survived and an unknown number were missing after a small boat capsized off Indonesia's main island of Java on Monday morning, officials said.

The accident took place at about 10 am (0300 GMT) when a small wooden boat packed with more than 30 people overturned in the Java Sea off the northern coast of the Central Java district of Pemalang, about 300 kilometres east of Jakarta, police and health officials said.

"We have so far received 10 bodies and 17 survivors from the accident," said Vita, a nurse at Pemalang's M Ashari General Hospital, who like many Indonesians goes by only one name.

She said reports from the beach areas indicated that an unknown number of other passengers on the boat were still missing and feared drowned. Among the dead were a
7-month-old female baby, a 6-year-old boy and 8-year-old girl.

Another body and five survivors were sent to Pemalang's Santa Maria Hospital, the hospital's spokesman Hasan Sidik confirmed.

Local media reports put the death toll range from 10 to 14, with at least 30 others surviving the accident, while at least 12 others were listed as missing.

"Huge waves hit the ship suddenly," 26-year-old Warsini, a female survivor, told the state-run Antara news agency, explaining that when the ship was hit by the high waves, all the passengers began screaming in fear, and the boat sank fast.

"We are grateful to have survived the accident. We don't know the fate of other victims who are still missing," she said

Rescue workers, comprising navy police officers, joined by volunteers and fishermen, were searching for more bodies or survivors.

Witnesses told the Jakarta-based Elshinta private radio that the accident occurred because the boat, which was only allowed to carry up to 10 people, was packed with around 40, including several children on an outing to mark the Islamic New Year.

The boat overturned after a huge wave hit it about 200 metres from the beach, sending passengers into the rough seas.

Meanwhile, two bodies were found and three other people were missing after five students were swept away by sea waves in the Tabanan beach area on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Monday, reported detik. com online news service

One of the two bodies was picked up by rescue workers after washing up on the beach, not far from where the five were reported missing shortly before mid-day, the report said. (dpa)