Indonesian authorities have initiated a search operation for a passenger ship that lost contact while navigating the Java Sea. The vessel was carrying 240 people and was en route from East Java to South Kalimantan on Borneo island when communication was lost on Sunday, officials reported. Rescue teams are actively working to locate the ship and ensure the safety of those on board.
Arianto Ardi, operations chief at Banjarmasin’s rescue agency, confirmed the loss of contact with the vessel and said rescue personnel had been dispatched to the area. Authorities said the ship’s operator reported the incident after receiving information that the vessel had encountered bad weather. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The Search and Rescue Office in Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan province, said they received a report the Virgo Transport 8 had experienced a communication failure while en route to the city from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city in East Java province. Initial information indicated the vessel’s last known position was in the Java Sea, about 148 kilometers (92 miles) from a pier in Banjarmasin.
“We have established an operations post at Trisakti,” Arianto said.
