Massive search underway after Indonesian ferry sinks with 243 on board
A massive search and rescue operation is underway after a passenger ferry carrying 243 people sank off Indonesia in rough seas.
The Indonesian ferry named Virgo Transport 8 lost contact with maritime authorities around 2am Sunday (4am AEST) while crossing the Java Sea.
A major rescue operation has been launched involving helicopters, light planes and coastguard vessels.
The ferry was making the 500km journey from Surabaya — Indonesia’s second largest city, in East Java province — to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.
It was reportedly 150km from its destination when communications were cut.
Nearby ships were redirected to the area, and early reports from local media say some 115 people have been rescued so far.
Six people have been confirmed dead, but it’s feared there will be many more lost.
The Indonesian archipelago has more than 17,000 islands and ferries are a common form of transport. But the country’s maritime safety record is not good — the Australian government warns travellers it’s flat out dangerous.
5News aggregated this summary from the outlet’s public feed. The full article, with all the context, is on 7news.com.au — the content belongs to 7NEWS Australia.
