JAKARTA: Indonesian rescuers are searching the Java Sea for people after a passenger ship carrying 243 people lost contact early Sunday, Sept. 13, while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in bad weather, authorities said.
Rescue teams have already evacuated 103 people, but one person died after being rescued. The vessel, Virgo Transport 8, left Surabaya in East Java on Saturday and was heading to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan according to Indonesian search and rescue officials.
Authorities received the report after the ship's operator said the vessel had encountered severe weather. Officials said the ship's exact location was unknown after communication was lost.
Some of those rescued were being taken toward a port in East Java. Rescue teams are continuing to search for the remaining passengers.
Officials have sent rescue ships and a helicopter toward the vessel's last known location in the Java Sea. Initial reports placed the ship about 148 kilometers (92 miles) from a pier in Banjarmasin.
The ship's manifest listed 241 passengers, while earlier information from the search and rescue agency said 243 people were aboard. Officials have not yet explained what happened to the vessel or why it lost contact.
Indonesia is made up of thousands of islands and depends heavily on ferries and passenger ships for travel between communities. Sea travel is often cheaper and more accessible than air travel.
However, accidents involving passenger vessels remain a serious concern because safety rules are not always strictly enforced. The search operation remains underway as rescue teams work to locate the missing passengers and determine their condition.
