One person died and 103 others were rescued after an Indonesian ferry carrying 243 passengers and crew ran into bad weather while sailing from Java to Borneo, rescue officials said on Sunday.
The passenger and cargo ship, Virgo Transport 8, departed from Surabaya in East Java on Saturday and was travelling north towards Banjarmasin when it lost contact with its shipping company early on Sunday.
Search and rescue operations were launched after the vessel’s last known position was detected in the Java Sea, about 150 km (90 miles) from Banjarmasin. The navy, police and the shipping company joined the operation.
“We have carried out efforts to search for victims to the fullest extent,” local search and rescue chief I Putu Sudayana told reporters in Banjarmasin. He said 103 passengers had been successfully evacuated, but one of those rescued later died.
“We have received the report regarding the loss of contact with the Virgo Transport 8 vessel and have immediately deployed personnel,” Sudayana said, adding that authorities were coordinating with all relevant agencies to ensure the safety of those on board.
Marine accidents are common in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands that relies heavily on ferries and other boats for transport and tourism. Poor safety standards and unpredictable weather are frequently blamed for such incidents.
In recent months, several other ferry accidents have highlighted the risks. Last month, a ferry fire in the Lombok Strait off Bali killed one person, left five missing and resulted in 211 people being rescued.
In July, a ferry carrying more than 70 people sank near Selayar, a small island south of Sulawesi.
Earlier, a speedboat carrying eight people, including five journalists covering a volcanic eruption, went missing near Mount Anak Krakatau in Banten province. Search operations were continuing.
