Search underway for missing Indonesian passenger ship

A search and rescue operation is underway in the Java Sea following the disappearance of an Indonesian passenger ship carrying more than 240 people. The vessel, identified as the Virgo Transport 8, lost contact while traveling from Surabaya in East Java to the city of Banjarmasin on the island of Borneo.

The 390-foot ship was carrying a total of 243 people, including 30 crew members. According to local officials, the vessel encountered severe weather conditions during its journey. The captain reported rough seas with waves reaching up to 3 meters, or 10 feet, before issuing a distress message indicating that the ship was tilting.

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi stated that aerial observations have located the vessel floating upside down. The search and rescue agency reported that the ship's last known position was approximately 92 miles, or 148 kilometers, from its destination.

Current reports indicate that at least 108 people have been rescued, while at least six individuals have died. Authorities are continuing to search for the 129 people who remain missing as the operation expands in the waters surrounding the ship's last known location.

One survivor, Rinto Arahab, described the experience of the ship capsizing, noting that he held onto the railings before climbing to a higher point as the vessel tossed in the water. The search and rescue office in Banjarmasin initially received reports of a communication failure before the full extent of the incident was confirmed.