Indonesian rescuers have launched a search operation for a missing passenger ship carrying 241 people in the Java Sea while travelling from East Java to South Kalimantan.
Contact with the Virgo Transport 8 was lost at about 2am on Sunday local time, with the vessel’s operator reporting the incident after receiving information that it had encountered bad weather. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The ship had left Surabaya at 10.13am on Saturday and was bound for Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. Its last known position was about 92 miles from a pier in Banjarmasin.
The Search and Rescue Office in Banjarmasin said it received the report two hours after contact was lost. A rescue team was sent to the city’s Basirih Search and Rescue pier, while a rescue ship travelled towards the vessel’s estimated last known position.
I Putu Sudayana, head of the Search and Rescue Office, said: “The ship’s operator reported the incident to authorities after receiving information that the vessel had encountered bad weather.”
Mr Sudayana, who is coordinating the operation, said all available personnel and assets were being mobilised because of the large number of passengers and crew on board.
Authorities are coordinating with maritime officials and other agencies while monitoring weather conditions in the area.
