Ship with 243 people onboard sinks in Indonesia: 140 missing

The passenger ship Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 people, has suffered a shipwreck in the Java Sea, Indonesia. On September 13, while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin, the vessel encountered adverse weather conditions, and communication with it was lost at approximately 02:00 local time. This was reported by Antara.

Initial reports stated that rescuers had evacuated 103 people, one of whom had died. According to subsequent information, the death toll among the evacuated has risen to 6, while 140 people are still missing.

The Virgo Transport 8 departed from Surabaya on September 12 and was headed for Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan province. The vessel carried 30 crew members, 27 staff members, 60 passengers, and 126 drivers along with their assistants. The ship was also transporting 89 vehicles.

Prior to the incident, the captain reported that the ship had begun to list due to deteriorating weather conditions. Communication was cut off shortly thereafter, prompting Indonesia's search and rescue service to launch a large-scale operation. Ships and a helicopter have been deployed to assist in the rescue efforts.

The exact cause of the disaster has not yet been officially announced. The search and rescue operation is ongoing.