One person has died while 103 others have been rescued after a ferry travelling between Indonesia’s Java and Borneo islands encountered severe weather on Sunday, according to local search and rescue officials.
The Virgo Transport 8, which was carrying 243 passengers and crew, lost contact with its shipping company early Sunday after departing from Surabaya in East Java. The vessel was heading towards Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when the incident occurred, prompting an emergency search and rescue operation.
Local search and rescue chief, I Putu Sudayana, confirmed that 103 people had been evacuated from the ferry. He also disclosed that one passenger died in the incident, although further details about the circumstances surrounding the death were not immediately available.
Rescuers faced difficult conditions as they worked to reach the vessel, battling waves measuring up to 2.5 metres (8.2 feet). Authorities are continuing rescue and response efforts while working to account for all passengers and crew members who were on board.
