Indonesian rescuers search for passenger ship with 240 aboard after loss of contact in Java Sea

Indonesian rescuers launched a search operation on Sunday after a passenger ship carrying 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea while travelling from East Java to South Kalimantan on Borneo Island, officials said.

The Search and Rescue Office in Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan province, said they received a report the Virgo Transport 8 had experienced a communication failure while en route to the city from Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city in East Java province.

Initial information indicated the vessel’s last known position was in the Java Sea, about 148km (92 miles) from a pier in Banjarmasin.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Arianto Ardi, operations chief at Banjarmasin’s rescue agency, confirmed the loss of contact with the vessel and said rescue personnel had been dispatched to the area.

“We have established an operations post at Trisakti,” Arianto said.