Search underway for Indonesian passenger ship carrying at least 240 people after it loses contact

Indonesian rescuers launched a search operation Sunday after a passenger ship carrying at least 240 people lost contact in the Java Sea while traveling 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 148 kilometers (92 miles) from a pier in Banjarmasin. The ship’s manifest said it was carrying 241 passengers.

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.

Authorities said the ship’s operator reported the incident after receiving information that the vessel had encountered bad weather.

印尼官员称，周日，一艘载有至少 240 人的客轮在从东爪哇前往婆罗洲岛南加里曼丹的途中，于爪哇海失去联系，印尼救援人员随即展开搜救行动。

南加里曼丹省首府班贾尔马辛的搜救办公室表示，他们接到报告称，Virgo Transport 8 号客车在从印度尼西亚第二大城市泗水（位于东爪哇省）前往该市的途中发生通讯故障。

初步信息显示，该船最后一次被发现的位置在爪哇海，距离班贾尔马辛的一个码头约148公里（92英里）。船上的乘客名单显示，船上载有241名乘客。

目前尚无人员伤亡报告。

班贾尔马辛救援机构行动主管阿里安托·阿尔迪证实与该船只失去联系，并表示已向该地区派遣救援人员。

“我们已经在特里萨克蒂设立了作战哨所，”阿里安托说。

当局表示，该船运营商在收到船舶遭遇恶劣天气的消息后报告了这起事件。