130 missing after Indonesian passenger ferry loses contact in Java Sea
Six people have died, and 130 remain missing after an Indonesian passenger ferry lost contact in the Java Sea during bad weather, authorities said.
The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people, including 213 passengers and 30 crew members, from Surabaya to Banjarmasin when it lost contact. At least 107 people have been rescued.
The ferry was last reported about 150km south of Banjarmasin at around 02:00 local time on Sunday. Authorities received a distress report from the vessel's operator, PT Virgo, at 04:10.
Indonesia's search and rescue agency, navy and maritime police are involved in the operation, with ships, a helicopter and around 280 personnel deployed. Vessels operating in the area have also been asked to report any signs of passengers.
Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said Indonesia's National Transport Safety Committee would investigate the incident.
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Families have gathered at ports in Banjarmasin and Surabaya seeking information about missing relatives.
Search operations for the remaining passengers and crew are continuing.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
