Passenger Ship Carrying 243 Reported Missing In Indonesia's Java Sea

From Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil

JAKARTA, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- A passenger ship, Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 passengers and crew, was reported missing in Indonesia's Java Sea early Sunday while sailing from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, prompting a search and rescue operation.

Banjarmasin Search and Rescue (SAR) Office chief I Putu Sudayana said his office was alerted to the missing vessel at 4.10 am, after communication with it was lost at about 2 am amid bad weather in the Java Sea.

“We received a report regarding the loss of contact with the ship and immediately deployed personnel and a search vessel towards its estimated last position,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

Putu said the ship had departed Surabaya on Saturday and was last known to be about 80 nautical miles from a search and rescue base in Banjarmasin.

He said one helicopter and two search vessels had been deployed, with search teams coordinating with other agencies to locate the ship and those on board.

The search operation also involves Indonesia's military and police, Banjarmasin port authorities and the ship's local agent, he said.

He urged families of those on board and the public to remain calm and rely on official updates as weather conditions in the search area continued to be monitored.

-- BERNAMA