Indonesian ferry carrying 243 people reported missing in Java Sea

BBC:

A search and rescue operation has been launched after contact was lost with an Indonesian passenger ferry carrying 243 people, the nation’s search and rescue agency says.

The Virgo Transport 8 ship was travelling from Surabaya to the south Kalimantan city of Banjarmasin overnight when it reported that it had encountered bad weather.

“At the time of this statement, the ship cannot be contacted and its whereabouts are unknown,” the agency said.

Authorities said it would take about five hours for a six-person rescue team to reach the ship’s last know position. It was last reported to be in the Java Sea about 150km south of Banjarmasin around 02:00 local time on Sunday.