A motor boat collided with a cargo ship in the thick haze on the Musi River in South Sumatra on Thursday, killing two children. Six other teenagers are missing after this latest incident in Indonesia, where a haze from burning forest fires there and in Malaysia has blanketed southeastern Asia. A plane crashed in the haze last Friday, killing all 234 people on board, and two other ships collided in the Malacca Straits last Saturday. Police officials at the site of Thursday's boat wreck said the smog reduced visibility to only 30 feet, according to the South China Morning Post .
Students regularly ferry to school in the motor boat, which was hit in the back by the cargo ship.
Forty-seven people were on the boat and most of the passengers escaped unhurt. Also on Thursday, Singapore's government said all outdoor work should be stopped if the haze over that country gets any worse. The Pollutants Standard Index, which measures the quality of the air, measured 137 on Thursday. Even at a reading of 100, outdoor workers with heart or respiratory problems are asked to consult their doctors and use respirators, if necessary. If the index tops 200, employers will be asked to shift affected workers to non-strenous indoor work.