High winds prevented rescuers from reaching a ship with more than 100 passengers that was adrift in rough seas off the coast of Indonesia's Sulawesi island on Saturday, officials said.

Earlier, local media said the vessel had sunk. Police and rescue authorities denied these reports and said it was still afloat, but with a broken engine and out of radio contact.

Six rescue vessels have been despatched but are being hampered by bad weather. Local search and rescue agency chief Roki Asikin said they were due to reach the ship early yesterday.

There is no word yet of any casualties.

Officials said the last contact from the ship's captain said that water was beginning to enter the vessel.

News website Detik.com earlier said 108 people were on board the ship which left from Kolaka, on the southeastern side of the island, and was heading across the Gulf of Boni for South Sulawesi when it sank. Another report said the ferry went down within 122 people on board. Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands linked by ferry services, but correspondents say the industry has a poor safety record.