Jakarta  - At least eight people including a two-year-old child were killed and three others remained missing after a passenger boat capsized in eastern Indonesia, media reports said Monday.

The accident occurred on Sunday evening near Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara, and was caused by strong wind, the state-run Antara news agency reported.

Marsudi Wahyuono, chief of the Kupang district police, quoted the captain as saying that the boat was carrying 16 people when it left for Kera Island, about 12 miles from Kupang beach. But a strong wind sent a big wave that hit the boat and capsized it.

Wahyuono said eight people were killed in the accident and three others were still missing and feared drowned, but five other people, including the crew of two, survived.

He said rescue workers continued their search for the missing persons. (dpa)