Indonesia Launches Search For Passenger Ship With Over 240 Aboard After Contact Lost In Java Sea

Jakarta: Indonesian authorities have initiated a search-and-rescue operation for the passenger ship Virgo Transport 8, which vanished while transporting over 240 individuals in the Java Sea, as reported by Reuters. The ship set sail from Surabaya in East Java on Saturday, September 12, at 10:13 am, en route to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.

Communication with the vessel was abruptly severed at around 2 am on Sunday, following adverse weather conditions. The last known location of the ship placed it approximately 148 km (92 miles) away from Banjarmasin. The Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office received the alert approximately two hours after contact was lost, prompting the deployment of rescue teams.

A dedicated operations post was established, and a search vessel was dispatched towards the ship's last known position. Local SAR officials, including Banjarmasin SAR chief I Putu Sudayana and operations chief Arianto Ardi, confirmed the commencement of search efforts. As of now, there have been no confirmed casualties, but the vessel's fate and the wellbeing of its passengers remain uncertain.

Despite challenging weather conditions, rescue operations are being conducted diligently. Indonesian authorities are anticipated to issue further updates as the search progresses.