Key facts
- The Indonesian passenger ship Virgo Transport 8 is missing in the Java Sea.
- The vessel was carrying 243 people.
- Contact was lost early Sunday during bad weather.
- The ship departed Surabaya on Saturday for Banjarmasin.
- Indonesia's search and rescue agency confirmed the ship cannot be contacted and launched a search.
An Indonesian passenger ship, the Virgo Transport 8, carrying 243 people was reported missing after losing contact in the Java Sea early Sunday during bad weather, according to the country's search and rescue agency. The ship had set sail on Saturday from Surabaya in East Java for Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan before contact was lost. The agency stated that the ship cannot be contacted and its whereabouts are unknown. A search operation has been initiated, with a team deployed toward the vessel's last known position. Indonesia, an archipelago nation, relies heavily on ferries for transportation, but safety standards are not always rigorously enforced, leading to a high accident rate.