Search underway after Indonesian passenger ship loses contact

Indonesian authorities initiated a search operation Sunday morning for a passenger ship that lost contact in the Java Sea. The Virgo Transport 8, carrying over 240 individuals, was en route from East Java to South Kalimantan province when communication was abruptly severed. The Search and Rescue Office in Banjarmasin, located on Borneo island, received a report two hours post the loss of contact around 2 a.m. Sunday.

The vessel had departed Surabaya, Indonesia's second largest city in East Java, earlier that day. The ship's operator alerted authorities about potential bad weather conditions. Initial data pointed to the ship's last known location in the Java Sea, approximately 92 miles off Banjarmasin's coast. The ship's manifest listed 241 passengers on board.

As of now, there are no confirmed casualties. The ship's operator, PT Virgo Yoel Rihi, reported the loss of contact, stating the vessel had left Surabaya on Saturday at 10:13 a.m. local time. In response, rescue teams were mobilized to Banjarmasin's Basirih Search and Rescue pier, with a rescue ship en route to the ship's last known position.

The Search and Rescue Office is coordinating with maritime authorities, leveraging all available resources due to the high number of passengers and crew on board. The agency is closely monitoring the area's weather conditions for the ongoing rescue efforts.