Jakarta: Indonesian rescuers are searching for 140 people after a passenger ship carrying 243 people lost contact in the Java Sea during bad weather.
The search began after 103 people were evacuated from the vessel. One of those rescued has died, according to an official from the Indonesian search and rescue agency.
The passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 was departed from Surabaya in East Java on September 12. The vessel was travelling towards Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when contact was lost early on September 13, 2026.
The Indonesian search and rescue agency sent a team to the vessel’s last known location. Rescue ships and a helicopter have also been deployed as authorities work to locate the remaining passengers. The circumstances surrounding the vessel’s disappearance was not established.
Rescue teams are continuing efforts to determine the ship’s location and account for those still missing. The incident highlighted the importance of maritime transport in Indonesia. The archipelago is about 17,000 islands and relies heavily on ferries and passenger ships to connect communities across the country.
Sea travel is often more affordable and accessible than air transport. Ferries therefore remain a major part of daily travel between islands and cities.
However, maritime safety remaines a concern in Indonesia. Safety requirements are not always enforced consistently. The country consequently experienced a relatively high number of accidents involving passenger vessels.
The current search involves multiple rescue resources as authorities focus on finding the 140 people still unaccounted for. The operation is centred on the last known position of Virgo Transport 8 following the loss of contact in difficult weather conditions.
ALSO READ | China sets roadmap for self-driving vehicle rollout by 2030
