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

What the report says

One person has died and 102 others have been rescued after an Indonesian passenger ferry went missing in the Java Sea, according to authorities cited by BBC World News. The Virgo Transport 8 lost contact in the early hours of Sunday while travelling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. The vessel was carrying 243 people and encountered bad weather, prompting a search-and-rescue response.

Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said the ferry was last reported about 150km south of Banjarmasin around 02:00 local time. Officials received a distress report at 04:10 from the operator, PT Virgo. A joint effort involving rescue teams, the navy, maritime police and other agencies was launched, with ships and a helicopter sent to the scene. Authorities also warned other vessels in the Java Sea to look out for survivors.

The search for the remaining passengers is continuing, and an operations post was set up at Trisakti Port in Banjarmasin. Families gathered at ports in Banjarmasin and Surabaya seeking information about relatives aboard the ship. The report notes the incident follows another ferry fire in Indonesia last month, underscoring the risks of sea travel in the country’s large island network, where ferries remain an important means of transport.