Search underway after Indonesian passenger ship carrying hundreds loses contact

[Rescue Operation Launched After Indonesian Passenger Ship Loses Contact in Java Sea][Body]

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Local authorities announced a coordinated search operation on Sunday after rescuers became aware that the passenger vessel *Virgo Transport 8* had lost contact with the sea while traversing the Java Sea from East Java toward South Kalimantan, according to officials.

The Search and Rescue Office based in Banjarmasin, located on Borneo Island, confirmed receipt of the incident report approximately two hours after contact was terminated around 02:00 local time on Sunday. The ship departed Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city in East Java province, bound for Banjarmasin.

During a video briefing, I Putu Sudayana, head of the Search and Rescue Office, explained that the vessel’s operator reported encountering severe weather conditions that likely contributed to the break in communications.

According to initial intelligence, the *Virgo Transport 8*’s last known position placed the ship roughly 148 kilometers (92 miles) from the pier in Banjarmasin, situating it within the Java Sea.

The ship’s manifest listed 241 passengers aboard, making the missing vessel one of several major crossing transports currently adrift in the region.

There have been no immediate reports of casualties following the loss of contact, though a comprehensive search continues due to the vessel’s size and load volume.

A rescue team has been dispatched to the Basirih Search and Rescue pier in Banjarmasin, while a rescue ship is heading toward the *Virgo Transport 8*’s estimated last known location.

Sudayana highlighted that all available personnel and assets are being mobilized given the ship’s relatively large passenger and crew roster. The agency continues to coordinate with maritime authorities and relevant partners while closely tracking current maritime weather patterns in the area.

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