KABUL: The passenger ferry Virgo Transport 8 has gone missing in the Java Sea while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, Indonesia, after losing contact with authorities.
The ferry reportedly went missing amid bad weather and was carrying 243 people at the time.
Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said it has launched a search operation and deployed rescue teams and a vessel to the ferry’s last known location.
No complete information has yet been released about the fate of all passengers on board.
Indonesia, an archipelagic country, relies heavily on maritime transport for the movement of people. However, bad weather and maritime safety challenges increase the risk of such incidents.