One dead, 102 rescued from Indonesian ferry that went missing in Java Sea

In a tragic incident off the coast of Indonesia, one person has lost their life and 102 survivors have been rescued from a passenger ferry that went missing in the Java Sea. The Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 individuals, encountered adverse weather conditions when contact was lost with the vessel. The search and rescue operation was initiated by Indonesia's search and rescue agency.

The ferry was en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it last transmitted its position, approximately 150 kilometers south of Banjarmasin around 02:00 local time on Sunday. Search and rescue ships, along with a helicopter, have been dispatched to the area, and all other vessels in the Java Sea have been notified to report any signs of passengers.

This disaster follows another ferry fire off Madura island last month, which resulted in five fatalities. Indonesia, with its extensive archipelago of over 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries as a primary mode of transportation.