Six dead, 107 rescued from Indonesian ferry that went missing in Java Sea

Indonesia's search and rescue agency has confirmed that six people have died and 107 have been rescued from a ferry that went missing in the Java Sea. The incident occurred as the ship encountered bad weather and lost contact with authorities. The Virgo Transport 8 ferry, carrying 243 people, was en route from Surabaya to Banjarmasin when the distress signal was first received.

The search operation, involving a joint task force of Indonesia's search and rescue agency, navy, maritime police, and others, is ongoing. The vessel departed Surabaya on Saturday at 10:33 and was expected to arrive in Banjarmasin on Sunday at 14:00. As of Sunday afternoon, 213 passengers and 30 crew members remain missing. The Indonesian archipelago, with its more than 17,000 islands, frequently relies on ferry transport, but marine accidents are not uncommon.