Indonesia's search and rescue agency issued a statement confirming one death and 102 people rescued, with 140 others still missing, after the passenger ferry "Virgo Transport 8," carrying 243 passengers and crew, lost contact in the Java Sea this morning amid severe weather. The vessel had departed from Surabaya in East Java Province, heading to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan Province.
Rescue officials revealed that one person has died and 102 have been rescued after the ferry traveling between Java and Borneo islands in Indonesia encountered severe weather conditions.
The local search and rescue chief said, "We have been conducting full-scale rescue operations. Several passengers have been safely evacuated by local agencies. We confirm that a total of 103 passengers have been evacuated." However, one of those rescued later died.
The Indonesian passenger ferry KM Virgo Transport 8 lost contact in the Java Sea during its journey from Surabaya in East Java Province to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan Province early this morning (13 Sep), carrying a total of 243 passengers and crew.
The Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office reported receiving notice of the lost contact from Yoel Rihi, general manager of PT Virgo company, at approximately 04:10 local time, after the vessel had lost communication since about 02:00.
The Virgo Transport 8 departed Surabaya on Saturday, 12 September, at around 10:13 local Indonesian time. Before losing contact, reports indicated the ferry was facing severe weather during its voyage.
E Putu Sudayana, head of the Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office, stated that the last known position of the vessel was in the Java Sea, approximately 80 nautical miles or about 148 kilometers from the SAR Basirih port in Banjarmasin.
Officials said the ferry remains unreachable and its exact location unknown. A rescue team and the KN SAR Laksmana 241 vessel have been dispatched to the last known location, with an initial team of six personnel participating in the operation.
The Banjarmasin Search and Rescue Office indicated the journey to the site is expected to take around five hours. They are coordinating with relevant agencies to expand the search and increase the chances of rescuing all passengers and crew as quickly as possible.
The search operation is supported by the Banjarmasin Port and Shipping Office, Banjarmasin Naval Base, South Kalimantan Water Police, Banjarmasin Maritime Office, Pelindo Port Authority in Banjarmasin, and representatives from Virgo's Banjarmasin branch, while officials closely monitor the weather conditions in the search area.
Indonesian authorities have urged passengers' families and the public not to panic and to follow official information closely, as rescue teams continue searching and assessing the situation based on field reports.
Indonesia, an archipelagic country with over 17,000 islands, relies heavily on passenger and ferry vessels as a vital transportation system, especially on routes where sea travel is more cost-effective than air travel. However, maritime accidents occur relatively frequently due to varying enforcement of safety standards in some areas.