Rescuers evacuated 103 people and found one dead after a ferry lost contact in Indonesia.
Why it matters: The incident underscores the safety risks of ferry travel in Indonesia, where boats are essential links between islands. It also shows how quickly a routine route can turn into a major search-and-rescue operation.
- Basarnas said Virgo Transport 8 lost contact around 2 a.m. Sunday while sailing from Surabaya to Banjarmasin.
- The ferry was carrying 243 people, according to the Basarnas dispatch cited by ANTARA.
- By Sunday afternoon, authorities said 103 passengers had been evacuated and one person had died.
- AP reported that bad weather and rough seas were cited as contributing factors.
Indonesian search-and-rescue authorities said the ferry Virgo Transport 8 lost contact in the Java Sea on Sunday while traveling from Surabaya, East Java, to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. Basarnas said it first lost contact at about 2 a.m. local time and received the formal report at 4:10 a.m.
ANTARA reported that rescue teams had evacuated 103 passengers by Sunday afternoon. The same reporting said one person died. Basarnas said the vessel was carrying 243 people in total.
Basarnas said the ferry's last known position was about 80 nautical miles from the Basirih SAR dock in Banjarmasin. Indonesian media said search assets included KN SAR Laksmana 241, KRI Nala, and tugboats and other vessels.
AP reported that bad weather and rough seas were cited as contributing factors. Rescue teams were still looking for people who had not yet been found.
By the numbers
- 243 - total people on board, according to Basarnas
- 103 - passengers evacuated by Sunday afternoon, according to ANTARA
- 80 nautical miles - distance from the Basirih SAR dock to the ferry's last known position
Yes, but: The casualty and passenger totals came from separate reports, and the rescue tally could change as operations continue.
What's next: Search-and-rescue teams were still searching for people not yet accounted for.