JAKARTA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Death toll of a capsized boat in the waters off South Sulawesi province of Indonesia increased to 16 with two others still missing, a rescuer said on Thursday.

A passenger boat sank on Wednesday after being stricken by strong winds and huge waves while it was departing eight km from the Paoetere seaport in Makassar, the capital city of the province, according to a press officer, named only Asmar, at search and rescue office in the city.

"The latest data shows 16 people dead and two others being searched for. Meanwhile 55 people have been rescued safely," he told Xinhua by phone from Makassar city.

Scores of the injured have been rushed into the Navy Hospital and other nearby hospitals, Asmar said.

The search and rescue operation was halted at night and will resumed on Friday morning, he added.

Having a journey with boat or ship is the favorite way of transportation in the archipelagic country of Indonesia, home to over 17,500 islands, despite poor safety standards that often trigger boat incidents.