A ferry with 243 people on board has gone missing near Indonesia, a search operation has begun

In the Java Sea, during a severe storm, the passenger vessel Virgo Transport 8 went missing with 243 people on board. Preliminary reports indicate one fatality.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, at approximately 02:00 local time, contact with the vessel was lost due to deteriorating weather conditions. It was heading from Surabaya to Banjarmasin and was last located approximately 80 nautical miles from the SAR Basirih dock.

The rescue vessel KN SAR Laksmana 241 has been dispatched for the search. Navy personnel, police, and port authority staff are also participating in the operation. So far, 54 people have been evacuated.

Rescuers expect to reach the area of the vessel's last known location in approximately five hours. Diving equipment, communication devices, and a Starlink terminal have been prepared for the operation.